This build of Karn is predominantly a Combo deck that plays a bit like a puzzle until either Karn makes an appearance and enables some crazy combo - or he allows you to alpha strike people with a horde of animated artifacts. Every game feels different and the general plays a pivotal role - with the same goal but different routes every time. IMHO, The best advice is to minimize your aggressive profile - don't seem like a nuisance or threat and you'll get a lot farther.
When I started out, I was playing the deck as a mono-brown goodstuffs deck. Over time, I could just kinda tell that blightsteel colossus, magistrate's scepter, platinum angel, planar portal and smokestack just weren't pushing the right buttons for me. Some of those cards are great - the colossus, scepter and portal were too good in my opinion, so I took them out. Feel free to play with cards like those above - they'll get different milage in different metagames - and yours might be ideal for them.
With time and experience, I've been able to work a few cards in that really only work in Karn and not much else - myr turbine, for example is one of my favorite cards to play in here - it's innocuous, fun, interactive and fully capable of winning the game - and it's not the kind of card I would have thought about including in this deck from the start. I've also learned to strike a careful balance with prision effects - I'm most at home in a 6-man game - so while utterly game-changing, Portcullis and Ward of Bones get me targeted immediately.
Lastly is legacy - not the format - but the history of the game itself. This deck represents a chunk of that legacy (no pun intended) in ways a lot of other decks don't. I'm able to play many alpha and beta cards that a lot of people have never seen. The Large-type serif fonts and alpha corners hearken back to when I learned this game, the friends I've made along the way -and they remind me why it's still great.
I personally love the deck because Karn's been around (story-wise) for nearly the entire game - and he's one of the few old-timers who is still relevant (YAY, Planeswalkerhood !). I've been working to acquire as much of the deck foiled and in the modern silver border as possible. "Yuck, why the new border" you ask ? It's a thematic thing. He's shiny and silver (Well, silver oxidizes, so he'd probably be dull - unless planeswalking polishes him...but you know what I mean). The new layout is also easier for players to read across the table. **Note:Perilous Vault is a nuclear option. I use it as a proxy for Chaos Orb (which is currently banned) and My group is cool with me letting them vote to see which they'd rather see at the time. Depending on your group, you might want to replace it with something else.
Why Play Karn ?
Obviously, you love artifacts - otherwise why would you even be here ? To me, Karn is not like any other deck out I've ever played. Mine's a showcase of some really amazing cards I've taken a liking to in the time I've played Magic (right when revised came out - and was impossible to find). If you like showcasing some really cool cards off - or just like a deck that's an enormous jigsaw puzzle, then this deck might be for you.
If you don't got 'em already, you will need a big 'ol pile of colorless-only nonbasic lands until we finally get Barry's Land. EDIT:We finally got them.
This is one of the most customizable decks out there - and hardly a single expansion passes without something to consider tossing in the deck.
REASONS YOU SHOULD PLAY KARN:
- You are a Historian - you crave cool old cards that new players not only have probably never seen, but may not ever see again in any other decklist.
- You are an Engineer - you love using cards like Rings of Brighhearth and others in astonishing ways and building a massive fortress of silver cardboard on your half (who are we kidding, your two-thirds) of the table.
- You are a Crazed Scientist - you love utilizing many-card interactions to do some truly incredible things with the game state - and drawing all the world's attention in the process.
REASONS YOU SHOULD NOT PLAY KARN:
- You Have a Favorite Color - The deck's all artifacts, brah. No basic lands. Sorry.
- You are a Coward - I fear land destruction - but even more, I fear cards like Price of Progress and Primal Order. Artifact sweepers can ruin you day as well, obviously - tread lightly. Our bane is null rod, stony silence and it's ilk. Anyone who uses those clearly has utter contempt for you as an individual and likely has very negative opinions of your honor and family. Take use of those cards as a personal assault against your person. Flip tables accordingly.
- You are a Man Among Cowards - Does your group not like combos ? This deck is ok without combos - but I'd consider playing something else if my group felt this way.
- You are a Born Winner - If you have to win at all costs in nearly every game, this might not be the best way to go. If you play this deck, you'll lose your share of games. Sometimes there's too much hate. Other times, you got no gas.
Card Options HIGH POINTS OF THE DECK
KAAAAAAAAAARN! - He's the on-switch for everything in this deck. We use him 90% of the time for his activated ability. His ability breaks down like this:
1) Animation of your non-creature artifacts to allow them to attack.
2) Animation of your non-creature artifacts for combos/interactions. (Turning a Scroll Rack into a creature as it's destroyed and returning it with Nim Deathmantle.)
3) Animating your opponents artifacts (usually in response to creature sweepers).
Note: #2 Is the origin of the majority of the wacky interactions and combos in the deck.
Voltaic Construct - This, paired with Karn and a mana artifact is usually game.Use him to untap an animated mana artifact (thanks to Karn!) that taps for 3 or more. Repeat for infinite mana. Once you have infinite mana, this guy can let an animated win-condition (Codex Shredder, Ornate Kanzashi or Staff of Nin, currently) infinitely tap your way to victory ! If your pals are cool with combo, this is the most important card in your deck.
Mycosynth Lattice - The obvious (and most evil) use of this is to animate all opponents' lands (with Karn) once this enters play. You could also animate their entire boards (mana willing) in response to creature-sweepers.
Darksteel Forge - this is your best element of protection. You're only one boomerang away from utter destruction, though - so I advise getting into play early, copying it or playing it with flash (Thanks shimmer myr !)
Clock of Omens - This card is one of the best cards in the deck - despite the tricky math. My favorite play is always this and Myr Turbine
Rings of Brighthearth - This lets you do many, many things. Any artifact that taps can probably benefit from this.
DETAILED BREAKDOWN
MANA ARTIFACTS:
These come in two varieties, those that produce more mana than they cost to play (Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, Mana Vault, Grim Monolith) that get you ahead of the pack in terms of tempo - these are widely considered some of the best cards in the game. They belong in your deck. Mox Opal got pulled out on one of my recent revisions. For the price, it's definitely got the lowest usability in terms of cost:utility.
The other variety are those that tap for 3 or more mana. These are vital if you're running voltaic combo - they're good even if you're not, though.
Lastly, cards that function as mana artifacts (Blinkmoth Urn, Cloud Key, Semblance Anvil, and Mycosynth Golem) should be included too - these are all avenues you need to learn and utilize to ease your mana curve and to be able to play many of the cards in your hand whenever you want.
CARD QUALITY:
Most of the cards here are the best at getting you the card you want or showing you more cards. Luckily, there's a ton of options here (notably, planar portal is missing, see above).
Eye of Ugin - This card is phenomenal for fetching the creatures you need EOT late game (which is always when you need them) to win.
Skullclamp - This is above-curve card draw. Animate 1-drop artifacts and equip them in a pinch.
Howling Mine - This thing's been a multiplayer gem for what - two decades ? It alone has kept me alive thanks to opponents who wanted the extra draw. Tapping it shuts it off, too - so keep that in mind !
Scroll Rack - oftentimes, activating this card once can be explosive enough to propel you into a win. This thing should always be gas.
Crystal Ball - Scry 2. This is the least useful of the library manipulators - but it's has it's uses. I've ridden it out of hairy situations enough to respect it - it's a silent hero.
Serum Tank - Cheapish, recurring card draw. I don't think I've ever run out of counters. Most of the time, I'll verbally note when I add a counter instead of taking the time to do so. The opponents appreciate that.
Skyship Weatherlight - This card takes some finesse. You don't want to fetch voltaic construct with it unless you're desperate (or can immediately activate it). Usually i'll play it one of two ways - 1) to get 2 or 3 cards that would help but not that will immediately win it for me. 2) to thin my deck out to leave only business cards left. Regardless of what you get, your opponents will target it - so be prepared to lose whatever you put under it.
Tower of Fortunes - Yeah, it's expensive to activate - but one or two activations is likely all you'll need. Also - this and a few other cards are great when you have infinite mana + untaps with Karn + Voltaic Construct but don't have a win condition. These card drawers can draw your deck out for you.
Citanul Flute - many key cards in here are critters. Voltaic, shimmer myr and scarecrone are common targets. It also combos nicely with scroll rack and activation for 0 for a free shuffle.
Mind's Eye - This is one of the most potent sources of card draw in here. Sometimes it's sneaky and sometimes it makes you a gigantic target - but it's definitely a crucial card.
Memory Jar - This usually elicits groans from the audience. Usually it can get you a new hand and accelerate you into some great stuff - but it can also be used with karn + Infinite mana + a Nim Deathmantle to animate, activate and return to play (repeat) with the deathmantle to deck your opponents.
Ornate Kanzashi - I'm not going to lie. This serves little purpose other than being a weird card/win condition (it gets around eldrazi and other re-shufflers). It's great with Mycosynth lattice and infinite mana, though - you can play all nonlands in your opponent's decks.
Occasionally, you can activate it blindly on a whim and actually hit gold. It adds this zest of random interaction - and that's always good when you're trying to not get curbstomped.
Staff of Nin - This is just all-around good. Accelerant + Win condition in one card. Slow, but good.
Obstacles (These are cards intended to slow the game down)
Meekstone - This is a perfect example of the kind of utility that we're looking for in here. Low CMC, Serious impact - and it could get you killed, but usually it'll slow down an onslaught or eat targeted removal.
Static Orb - I try not to run too many prison effects - and this is more than that if you can tap it with clock of omens or blinkmoth well. People seem to hate this card only when it's played to sit on the board with no hopes of capitalizing on it. If you play it, try & win in the next two turns.
Mycosynth Lattice - Right now, this card serves a few purposes : Karn using it to eat lands is the most obvious. Flashing it in (with shimmer myr) in response to artifact wipe will restart the game (unless you have the darksteel forge out). It also allows me to play anything off of Ornate Kanzashi. This isn't absolutely necessary, but it is nice.
Equipment:
Nim Deathmantle - When paired with Karn and enough mana, it'll save all your artifacts from the graveyard by animating them with Karn before they're destroyed - see the rules text on the card window for more info.
Swiftfoot Boots - usually these will come down on Karn or Voltaic Construct - but occasionally, Kuldotha Forgemaster will see them too.
(Note we'll likely be including Illusionist's Bracers soon)
Removal - (Artifacts are notoriously light in this aspect)
Relic of Progenitus - this is one of the best GY removal options available - and it'll cycle for a card in a pinch, too.
Erratic Portal - I was hesitant to include this - and only did so after suggestion. I was wrong - this is great. I find myself always finding new uses for it other than the obvious. When in infinite combo mode, you can combine this with Mycosynth Lattice and Karn to tap infinitely and return all permanents to their owner's hands.
Nevinyrral's Disk - This was named as an homage to Ringworld author Larry Niven - seriously. Also, try and have Darksteel Forge out if you have to activate this.
Tawnos's Coffin - This card is great on it's own - but it's also fantastic to use with your own Myr Battlesphere or (the currently absent) Shapeshifter. This card can tap down as many creatures as needed in infinite combo mode.
All is Dust - this is really one of your best removal cards. You will often be the only one with non-lands after resolving this. Just make sure you use this judiciously.
Karn Liberated - to be honest, I added him when he came out and haven't seen very much of him. He's been incredibly solid every time I do see him, though - especially with Static orb or Forcefield.
Spine of Ish Sah - Imagine this as a colorless Desert Twister that has some interesting possibilities.
Protection: These are vital to keep the heat off of you.
Glacial Chasm - Often, this will buy you enough turns to win. You don't always need to ride it out until death, two or three turns can be plenty.
Maze of Ith - This goes in just about any EDH deck that can afford one.
Forcefield - This has always been one of my favorite cards in magic - and EDH is the only place it's really seen now. I love this thing and I'd suggest investing in a real one to anybody who can swing it. Note that you can even reduce shrouded creatures with this - it's a "Choose", not a "target".
Nova Pentacle - This is a card I added on a whim because I remembered never being able to slot it into a deck. It's performed admirably here - it allows for a ton of interaction.
Witchbane Orb - This is a Artifact Ivory Mask. It's saved me from infinite Comet Storms and a bonfire or two a couple of times. It's ok.
Soul Conduit - For so long, I wanted a Mirror Universe in here. Well, along came New Phyrexia and made a more useful version. Yes, it costs 6 to both play and activate, but usually by time my life total is in danger, 6 should not be a problem. Just having this out with the mana to activate it can keep you safe.
Darksteel Forge - This makes all your stuff indestructible. Once you play it, it usually terrifies the table and gets them to target it if possible. They can bounce or exile it - so don't rest on your laurels.
Untappers : (What's the point in running artifacts if you can't abuse them sometime ?) Useless on their own, they are some of the most potent enablers in the game.
Voltaic Key - This card is incredibly useful. When paired with a cheap mana artifact early on, it can accelerate you past the hate. Later on, it can allow for some crucial plays - like having 4 Mimic vat tokens to swing with for one attack phase.
Clock of Omens - What's the only untapper that's better than the key ? The clock. This allows for so many amazing plays - I love to pair it with Myr Turbine but you shouldn't overlook it's ability to tap your own cards down on command (like howling mine and static orb)
Unwinding Clock - with a few mana artifacts and a shimmer myr you can dump your hand before your turn even comes back around again. Even without the myr, you should be able to activate plenty of abilities. Note that if you like to use Karn to let your whole board attack, this (after Akroma's Memorial) is one of the best cards to have in play.
Other Cards: These are the randoms, the outliers, the aces-up-the-sleeve. These are varied in purpose and can be altered to taste.
Codex Shredder - This little thing has had a trial run in here for the past couple of months. It's been alright so far. It's narrow in application - but if you get it + rings of brighthearth and any infinite mana combo, you can return your entire graveyard to your hand by copying the shredder's second ability. It also works if you've got something boring on top of your own library with Sensei's Divining Top or Scroll Rack - it'll get those useless cards offa there. It can also set a sweet play with scarecrone.
Mimic Vat - This is such a great card - one of EDH's best. Hopefully all of your opponents don't have theirs out also. There's a trick to activate it right before your turn and once again on your turn to have two copies of the critter to swing with. Don't neglect the fact that it can exile critters that need to hit the graveyard.
Rings of Brighthearth - There are too many interactions with this to list - know that if it taps to do something, then copying it with the rings will usually make it twice as good. Remember to read the errata on Basalt Monolith with this in play to generate infinite mana (tap, then untap & copy the untap ability to net 1 each time).
Sculpting Steel - This is any card you already have in play or any artifact an opponent controls.
Ice Cauldron - This is a personal flavor call, so don't feel like this is necessary - unless you want one of the coolest cards in the history of the game. It's got a TON of errata - but here's the jist of it: Normal usage - this thing's just a credit card. You tap it and pay any amount (even 0) to put a charge token and a card down on it (in exiled-pseudo-commander-zone-limbo). Tap it again to add the token to your pool to cast the card on it. Extreme usage - this thing's a safe deposit box. With a lot of untap effects, you can put your whole hand on this card. You can only use the most recent charge counter to cast the most recent card placed on here - but the cards are exiled (but playable) - and even if the cauldron is removed, you can still play them (unlike Skyship Weatherlight).
Trading Post - I got into EDH right after Staff of Domination got the boot. This is the next best thing. It's a swiss-army-knife and one of the few sources of recursion.
Mirrorworks - When you can get this out, it can quickly overwhelm your opponents.
Myr Turbine - Yeah, it really just makes myr (and you can tutor for a battlesphere or shimmer myr) But it can give you a ton of chump blockers, or Clock of omens fodder. This gives you something to do that doesn't immediately threaten people.
Akroma's Memorial - This is ideal for turning on all your artifacts with Karn and alpha-striking in for the win. Just don't try to copy it with Sculpting Steel.
Creatures: Rarely will you see these guys swinging in the red zone. Most of them are here to help do other stuff.
Kuldotha Forgemaster: I usually sac him + 2 other things to get the card I really need right now. With enough myr tokens around, he gets a lot more useful.
Mycosynth Golem: His primary use is as a cost-reducer. "But only creatures ?" Yeah - oftentimes the only thing stopping you from winning is not having the 9+Mana to play Karn + Voltaic construct, the 1 to turn something into a creature and 2 to untap it (plus some left back for emergencies.)
This guy can come out very cheap and let you steal a win way earlier than you should.
Myr Battlesphere : This has taken out it's fair share of players - but being able to generate infinite myr/infinite damage can do that. Infinite Myr, you say ? Yeah...pair this with a Krark Clan Ironworks and a Nim Deathmantle and you'll get both infinite myr and infinite colorless mana. It works well with myr turbine and clock of omens also.
Scarecrone: She's kinda iffy - a lot of times, she'll simply just cycle - but it's those few times that she lets me get a long-buried voltaic construct back to win the game that makes her worthwhile. She's a silver bullet in a deck that needs her sometimes. I won't mind if you leave her out - but you should try her first.
Shimmer Myr - this is a vedalken orrery that you can tutor for with eye of ugin, citanul flute and Myr Turbine. He'll likely come out for free with mycosynth golem and he himself has flash - and that last bit is important. The flash means you can play him and whatever else you want in response to a big sweeper or game-changing effect. Many times, I'll play him followed by other cards to win - on the stack - before the offending effect resolves. Don't do this too often though - you'll spook people and they'll assume you can always do it at will.
Voltaic Construct - ahh, ol' volty. If there's any card in the deck that we could use a functional reprint of, it'd be this guy right here. I've already said a bit about him up top, so suffice it to say, he's crucial if you're cool with combo.
Lands: To a greenhorn, this is going to be the hardest part of the deck to scoop together. Most of them can be gotten cheaply and there's enough alternatives to replace Mishra's Workshop with a Blasted Landscape.
The rest of the lands occupy minor-but-occasionally-useful roles. They are largely interchangeable - but I like to think I've got the best choices out of them here.
Construction Notes:
The following are just a few of the cards that I have either tried, have plans to try, or have considered trying in the deck:
How do I know what's right for me ?
Once you get some experience under your belt, you'll be much better equipped to decide what's really going to help your deck. I think most people would agree that this deck plays differently than it looks on paper. Time and experience will get you comfortable with the deck and capable of making informed decisions. I highly value utility in my deck. I like cards that can come out early and do something useful on their own.
I want to tweak your list, but how do I know what's good ?
For Colorless cards, I'd rate their access to various elements of the game as follows (on a 1-10 scale):
This is a personal (and arbitrary scale) and I refer to these grades when evaluating potential new additions. I feel like the current deck is pretty good at card quality, but could use a hand in acceleration and recursion. Any new cards that have elements of this get strong consideration.
Quotes Notable Karn-isms:
Being a central figure in the Weatherlight saga (and one of the few surviving members AND NOW A PLANESWALKER) there's a dearth of good flavor text from 'Ol Steely Dan:
"Every act of destruction has a repercussion."Aftershock
"An innocent man died because of my anger. That knowledge will haunt me for all eternity." Agonizing Memories
"My world is corrupted beyond cleansing. I must prevent this from happening to other worlds"Argent Mutation
"If it is meant to be nothing but a machine," Karn finally asked Jhoira, "why did Urza build it to be like me?"Beast of Burden
"I am reminded of the fable of the silver egg. Its owner cracks it open to see what jewels it holds, only to discover a simple yellow yolk."Bottle Gnomes
"Consider the fable of the greedy herder. As her flock grew, so did her weariness; she slept, and the sheep wandered off."Fade Away
"Remember the moral of the fireslinger fable: with power comes isolation."FireslingerWhooooaaa...prophetic.
"Anger is fleeting; remorse is eternal."Fit of Rage
"Remember the fable of the elf who came upon a cave of gold. In trying to free the largest piece, she was crushed by its weight."Flowstone Blade
"One cannot cleanse the wounds of failure."Humility
"At first I simply observed. But I found that without investment in others, life serves no purpose."Intervene
"Whereas I was created to protect, the biskelion was created to destroy."Serrated Biskelion
"Twice I have let the Legacy slip away. Never again."Sift
"Everything the wise woman learned she wrote in a book, and when the pages were black with ink, she took white ink and began again."Spellbook
"Although I would give my life to protect Gerrard, my conscience will not let me take another's. There are many who would not hesitate."Steel Golem
"Because I am incapable of tears does not mean I have no need to shed them."Tendrils of Despair
"One touch to the stone and the sidar's son turned me from stalwart to statue."Touchstone
"We are kinfolk," explained Karn to the sliver queen. "Just as you need your progeny to complete you, so do I need the pieces of the Legacy to make me whole."Victual Sliver
Strategic Overview:
I always find that the best course of action is to not appear as the biggest aggressor until you have stable mana production & a few lockdown cards in play or a combo available. While that's in the works, focus on the deck's myriad interactions & relative obscurities as your primary weapon. Played correctly - you'll seem harmless, yet bewildering. These will usually generate some very valuable card advantage. I always try to avoid unnecessarily playing cards that seem overly fearsome or cards everyone hates - they'll get blown up along with getting too much attention on your side of the board - if this happens often, take note of which cards upset your opponents the most and consider changing them for the sake of being less of a threat.
Strive to get away with playing cards that slow down a breakneck-speed game without drawing too much fire - and I don't suggest dropping static orb unless you can work it to your advantage. Land destruction makes people nervous. I very rarely destroy lands unless I am about to win - mycosynth lattice/Karn will often just make knowledgeable players concede. OH ! And don't forget about Karn ! He can animate your stuff to swing or animate your opponent's artifacts just before a ***-effect.
Early Game: Your #1 Goal is to get to Mid-game. Play cards, preferably ones that accelerate you. All of the mana rocks are great here - even the one-time use ones like mana vault, grim monolith and others. Don't be afraid to take a lot of damage early on with Ancient tomb, Mana Vault or Mana Crypt. You'll be alright soon enough - trust me.
Mid Game: Develop your board presence. Once you get rolling, your initial impulse is to play all these really cool things. Fight that urge. Overcommiting will usually get you into a huge hole you'll need to climb your way out of. Play relevant cards and try and get one of your many draw engines online - scroll rack, mind's eye, memory jar or even tower of fortunes can be crucial - don't forget about Howling Mine, too ! That might keep your other cards from getting blown up just by being there. The more permanents you drop, the more your opponent's eyes will turn your direction - so again, try and monitor your self and prevent playing your entire hand. Having at least one artifact that taps for 3 will make things a lot easier on you. Most of the time, the safest bet is to be an undesirable attack target. Cards like Nova Pentacle, Tawnos's Coffin, Maze of Ith, Erratic Portal and Forcefield will help direct traffic elsewhere.
(At this point, if you might think generating infinite mana is a good idea - and if it's not too early and seems right for the game, then go for it. You'll need one of the aforementioned 3 mana artifacts and Voltaic Construct. If you can find, resolve and activate those in the mid-game uncontested, they might not need to see a late game.)
Late Game:Seal the Deal. If you are still recovering from a mid-game blowout, I'm sorry. It happens. Hopefully it wasn't a Merciless Eviction, Furnace Dragon or Stony Silence. If you have a TON of mana and Karn in play, you can survive any mass destroy effect with a Nim Deathmantle - you just have to pay 5 for each artifact you want to save (1 for Karn's ability and 4 for the Deathmantle's) If you were holding a Sol Ring or Everflowing Chalice, then now is the time. Get back in the game - Trading Post can help a ton here.
Threats to Our Plan
I fear a few cards - Null Rod, Hurkyl's Recall, Back to Basics, Furnace Dragon, and Energy Flux are a couple. I don't see them very often, though. If you rock Karn often enough to the point where your group has begun actively playing hate cards for it, then consider yourself successful - they are scared of what your deck is capable of doing. I don't run a huge amount of removal in the deck - there's not much out there, really. Oftentimes, you'll just have to play out of a boardwipe - but sometimes you will get lucky and resolve a Karn Liberated and it'll stick. If it's possible, remember that your general can always turn opposing artifacts into creatures (that can more easily be dealt with). If someone has locked you down with a stony silence or Null Rod, your options become severely limited. Appeal to other players for help if possible - if you're not good-looking enough for them to fall for it, then hope you draw the planeswalker. Regardless, keep playing and be a good sport - odds are you have subjected an opponent or two to similar fates before. Try not to commit too many new cards into play - the effect that gets you back in the game might be the same one that blows up your board in the process - and you'll need to rebuild with the quickness.
Tips
Try to always know all of your options. Start by understanding the engines of the deck and see how you cards can work. If you're new to the deck & in doubt, just try to play a combo to win - it's probably the easiest way to win with the deck. Make sure you understand what your are doing first, though. No one likes losing to a combo that can't be explained and demonstrated by it's owner. Never wait until it's almost your turn to activate your top, crystal ball, etc. (It's rude and a waste of everyone else's time). Always do this during other's turns unless absolutely necessary. Try not to ever blindly tutor - Have some idea of what you want before activating Kuldotha Forgemaster, Grinning Totem, Skyship Weatherlight, Citanul Flute, Planar Portal, Expedition Map or Eye of Ugin.
This deck is capable of both attacking and building combo - Master doing both simultaneously and you can baffle your opponents.
Lastly, know your win conditions ! You've got three main options:
(Attacking - Myr Battlesphere shenanigans, Karn + Akroma's Memorial alpha strike, Infect (Grafted Exoskeleton), etc.)
(Combos - Infinite mana + untaps allow you to use Staff of Nin and Ornate Kanzashi as win conditions,
(Attrition - (Lock 'em out if you have to) - Nevinyrral's Disk + Darksteel Forge, Karn + Infinite mana + Mycosynth Lattice to destroy all your opponents lands.
COMBOS
The Karn + Voltaic Construct + 3Mana Artifact is the backbone of many larger combos in the deck. I'm trying to include some that don't need the voltaic contruct to win off of infinite mana. So far, Goblin Cannon is the only option and that's too narrow for my needs. How the combo works:
Once you demonstrate understanding of that concept, here are a few of the possibilities you can use with infinite mana and your voltaic construct to allow infinite untaps of a newly-animated artifact. (Note that there's a few cards in here that aren't in my list anymore - but they might be in yours !)
I've played Magic off-and-on since '93. I got back in for EDH only with some pals and have been back since ZEN block.
But my real love is Shadowfist. It captures the fun I had playing multiplayer magic back in the day in a way that Magic just can't anymore. The community is much smaller and the market is much simpler - most of the cards aren't worth very much on the secondary market. Deckbuilding and play is a little different, but there are tons of similarities to Magic - they're only one year apart in age.
The good thing about the community is that it's easier to play an active part. They request all players to submit card ideas at the beginning of the design cycle. If you're artistic, you can probably get a gig doing art for one or more cards - I have.
If you've ever been a fan of Big Trouble in Little China or Hard Boiled or Heroic Trio - or justabout any action movie - you should at least step a little bit outside your Magic comfort zone and give this a try - I did and I'm so very grateful.
I don't understand how Toymaker does anything Karn can't. Am I missing something ? Can you elaborate ?
...well you said somthing like..."The Karn + Voltaic Construct + Mana Artifact is the backbone of many larger combos in the deck"..a good buddy of mine uses a combo alot like yours,so we tried getting rid of his key peice and he simply replaced it with toymaker.using it as a back up and the karn as a kinda bait to see how id play out...karn wasnt his commander though,so just a suggestion
A guy posted a Karn list a while back that had the formula for the Candelabra Combo, basically it takes the place of a 3 mana tap artifact with voltaic out if you have the right lands out so you can net mana. I would love a functional reprint of voltaic construct in this next mirroden block WotC
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I'm considering picking up a cheap candelabra of tawnos, but my testing showed outside of Scorched ruins, it's really mostly a dead card - The only cards that make it worthwhile are Workshop (which can't really combo since mana has a restriction), a Tron'ed-up Urza's Tower and Scorched Ruins.
I'd love to see another broken card (in my deck, at least) like voltaic construct. I'm hoping that out of the 50 of so upcoming artifacts, there are a few that I might be able to use. I have high hopes for neo-evil-Karn. Also - I'd love to see a Basic land that only produces 1 colorless - Then I could run Solemn Simulacrum, Armillary Sphere and Extraplanar Lens
I think you're undervaluenig candelabra. All of your lands do something, having more effects like that can be pretty helpful. With all the tap for 2 lands in here, it's pretty great. I'll give an example, let's say you have a temple of the fale god, a city of traitors, and 3 any lands. You tap for 5, then you untap the city and temple and produce 7. That's 2 timewalks in terms of mana. Also, it becomes stupid with maze of ith, add in rings and it's just plain dumb. I convinced myself that "no" was the answer to candelabra for the longest time because of its price tag. Then, when I actually got one, I tried it out and have never looked back.
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I'm probably going to keep my deck as it is now - with 11 or so cards that are disposable if absolutely necessary until I see the whole MBS spoiler. Some of the stuff there is looking great to me.
One time and one time only, it was able to turn blasted landscape into an island to tap for 3 blue (colorless) mana due to someone elses Extraplanar lens and Gauntlet of power in play.
So, yeah... it doesn't see much use very often.
EDIT: My deck is still undergoing some changes - I'm trying to remove a lot of unfun lock parts and replace them with more interactive cards and creatures. I'll have a revision to the list up when I am satisfied.
I'm still testing some changes with this deck - I'm playing online on cockatrice as well as playing it up the road in the super casual environment at the local game shop. This has caused me to change some things (removing prison-y cards, adding more creatures & interaction)
One time and one time only, it was able to turn blasted landscape into an island to tap for 3 blue (colorless) mana due to someone elses Extraplanar lens and Gauntlet of power in play.
Doesn't seem like that would do anything, since Lens says "a land with the same name" and Gauntlet of Power says "a basic land is tapped for the chosen color"...
but seriously. this deck is nuts. love love love it
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Current EDH Commander Decks (14/27): X Karn, Silver Golem
To be honest, I've loved the new interactions I've had in the deck with the new additions. I plunked down a little and got a gorgeous alpha forcefield last time I got paid - but I haven't been able to play it much - my local shop is very casual and this steel-clad beast has been rocking faces lately - too many, in fact. I've been asked by several to give it a rest for a little while. Every once in awhile, I'll dig it out and run it and update it after a little more testing.
Updates : I pulled this relic out of storage and I am trying Unwinding Clock and Soul Conduit right now. They are amazing so far - when I got them out today they absolutely crushed people.
Updates are made to the main list on the front page as of 6/21/11. PM me with any questions - this deck is fun, but playing it often leaves me feeling dirty.
Wouldn't Erratic portal make some infinite mana combos (with voltaic construct) easier to assemble, like with triskelion or Duplicant? With infinite mana, you could also put all opponent creatures to their hands.
Reviewing Innistrad, There's not much that can fit in Karn. Creepy Doll seems like a good blocker / deterrent to attacking me. I doubt It'll find a place in my list, though. Cellar Door will likely replace Druidic Satchel as my back-up-back-up win condition. It makes insta-blockers, too. Ghost Quarter's already been cut from the deck once, too - so it's doubtful it'll be re-considered.
just tested out this deck. its freaking fun! we had a game going where all players had a platinum angel out, then i darksteel forge'd with a nevi's disk and killed them all (they had 0 life). Only had to cast karn once.
That is great to hear. I've really struggled with my playgroup here to make this a deck that can do three things :
1) Be great fun to play
2) Be fun to play against
3) Get to show off cool old cards
Keep trying it out and let me know what you think !
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These days, I've kept the most up to date version of the deck on Moxfield also:
https://www.moxfield.com/decks/cc4V-WJkqUaBxQlXikDOsA
This build of Karn is predominantly a Combo deck that plays a bit like a puzzle until either Karn makes an appearance and enables some crazy combo - or he allows you to alpha strike people with a horde of animated artifacts. Every game feels different and the general plays a pivotal role - with the same goal but different routes every time. IMHO, The best advice is to minimize your aggressive profile - don't seem like a nuisance or threat and you'll get a lot farther.
When I started out, I was playing the deck as a mono-brown goodstuffs deck. Over time, I could just kinda tell that blightsteel colossus, magistrate's scepter, platinum angel, planar portal and smokestack just weren't pushing the right buttons for me. Some of those cards are great - the colossus, scepter and portal were too good in my opinion, so I took them out. Feel free to play with cards like those above - they'll get different milage in different metagames - and yours might be ideal for them.
With time and experience, I've been able to work a few cards in that really only work in Karn and not much else - myr turbine, for example is one of my favorite cards to play in here - it's innocuous, fun, interactive and fully capable of winning the game - and it's not the kind of card I would have thought about including in this deck from the start. I've also learned to strike a careful balance with prision effects - I'm most at home in a 6-man game - so while utterly game-changing, Portcullis and Ward of Bones get me targeted immediately.
Lastly is legacy - not the format - but the history of the game itself. This deck represents a chunk of that legacy (no pun intended) in ways a lot of other decks don't. I'm able to play many alpha and beta cards that a lot of people have never seen. The Large-type serif fonts and alpha corners hearken back to when I learned this game, the friends I've made along the way -and they remind me why it's still great.
I personally love the deck because Karn's been around (story-wise) for nearly the entire game - and he's one of the few old-timers who is still relevant (YAY, Planeswalkerhood !). I've been working to acquire as much of the deck foiled and in the modern silver border as possible. "Yuck, why the new border" you ask ? It's a thematic thing. He's shiny and silver (Well, silver oxidizes, so he'd probably be dull - unless planeswalking polishes him...but you know what I mean). The new layout is also easier for players to read across the table. **Note: Perilous Vault is a nuclear option. I use it as a proxy for Chaos Orb (which is currently banned) and My group is cool with me letting them vote to see which they'd rather see at the time. Depending on your group, you might want to replace it with something else.
Acceleration:
1 Mana Crypt
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Candelabra of Tawnos
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Grim Monolith
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Cloud Key
1 Semblance Anvil
1 Krark-Clan Ironworks
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Metalworker
1 Extraplanar Lens
1 Wayfarer’s Bauble
1 Liquimetal Torque
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Foundry Inspector
1 Jhoira's Familiar
1 Fellwar Stone
1 Mycosynth Golem
1 Mox Diamond
1 Ugin, the Ineffable
1 Forsaken Monument
1 Tempting Contract
1 Manascape Refractor
1 Mox Opal
1 Strixhaven Stadium
Card Quality:
1 Expedition Map
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Skullclamp
1 Scroll Rack
1 Staff of Domination
1 Citanul Flute
1 Memory Jar
1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
1 Sea Gate Wreckage
1 Alhammaret’s Archive
1 Inventors' Fair
1 Eye of Ugin
1 Endless Atlas
1 Arcane Encyclopedia
1 Karn, Scion of Urza
1 Mystic Forge
1 Bag of Holding
1 War Room
1 Bonder's Enclave
1 Urza's Saga
1 Haunted Fengraf
1 Buried Ruin
Removal
1 Tawnos's Coffin
1 All Is Dust
1 Ugin, Spirit Dragon
1 Walking Ballista
1 Bladegriff Prototype
Protection
1 Glacial Chasm
1 Maze of Ith
Untappers
1 Voltaic Key
1 Voltaic Construct
1 Clock of Omens
1 Unwinding Clock
1 Manifold Key
1 Thousand-Year Elixir
Other Cards
1 Mimic Vat
1 Rings of Brighthearth
1 Sculpting Steel
1 Myr Turbine
1 Thawing Glaciers
1 Mirage Mirror
1 Commander's Plate
1 Helm of Possession
1 Lithoform Engine
1 Dermotaxi
1 Nettlecyst
1 Kaldra Compleat
1 Sword of Hearth and Home
1 Lightning Greaves
Other Creatures
1 Shimmer Myr
1 Hangarback Walker
1 Myr Battlesphere
1 Wandering Archaic
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Mishra's Workshop
1 Mirrorpool
1 Scorched Ruins
1 Thespian's Stage
1 Winding Canyons
1 Scavenger Grounds
1 Zhalfirin Void
1 Field of Ruin
1 Endless Sands
1 Nesting Grounds
1 Witch's Clinic
9 Wastes
Obviously, you love artifacts - otherwise why would you even be here ? To me, Karn is not like any other deck out I've ever played. Mine's a showcase of some really amazing cards I've taken a liking to in the time I've played Magic (right when revised came out - and was impossible to find). If you like showcasing some really cool cards off - or just like a deck that's an enormous jigsaw puzzle, then this deck might be for you.
If you don't got 'em already, you will need a big 'ol pile of colorless-only nonbasic lands until we finally get Barry's Land. EDIT:We finally got them.
This is one of the most customizable decks out there - and hardly a single expansion passes without something to consider tossing in the deck.
REASONS YOU SHOULD PLAY KARN:
- You are a Historian - you crave cool old cards that new players not only have probably never seen, but may not ever see again in any other decklist.
- You are an Engineer - you love using cards like Rings of Brighhearth and others in astonishing ways and building a massive fortress of silver cardboard on your half (who are we kidding, your two-thirds) of the table.
- You are a Crazed Scientist - you love utilizing many-card interactions to do some truly incredible things with the game state - and drawing all the world's attention in the process.
REASONS YOU SHOULD NOT PLAY KARN:
- You Have a Favorite Color - The deck's all artifacts, brah. No basic lands. Sorry.
- You are a Coward - I fear land destruction - but even more, I fear cards like Price of Progress and Primal Order. Artifact sweepers can ruin you day as well, obviously - tread lightly. Our bane is null rod, stony silence and it's ilk. Anyone who uses those clearly has utter contempt for you as an individual and likely has very negative opinions of your honor and family. Take use of those cards as a personal assault against your person. Flip tables accordingly.
- You are a Man Among Cowards - Does your group not like combos ? This deck is ok without combos - but I'd consider playing something else if my group felt this way.
- You are a Born Winner - If you have to win at all costs in nearly every game, this might not be the best way to go. If you play this deck, you'll lose your share of games. Sometimes there's too much hate. Other times, you got no gas.
Card Options
HIGH POINTS OF THE DECK
KAAAAAAAAAARN! - He's the on-switch for everything in this deck. We use him 90% of the time for his activated ability. His ability breaks down like this:
1) Animation of your non-creature artifacts to allow them to attack.
2) Animation of your non-creature artifacts for combos/interactions. (Turning a Scroll Rack into a creature as it's destroyed and returning it with Nim Deathmantle.)
3) Animating your opponents artifacts (usually in response to creature sweepers).
Note: #2 Is the origin of the majority of the wacky interactions and combos in the deck.
Voltaic Construct - This, paired with Karn and a mana artifact is usually game.Use him to untap an animated mana artifact (thanks to Karn!) that taps for 3 or more. Repeat for infinite mana. Once you have infinite mana, this guy can let an animated win-condition (Codex Shredder, Ornate Kanzashi or Staff of Nin, currently) infinitely tap your way to victory ! If your pals are cool with combo, this is the most important card in your deck.
Mycosynth Lattice - The obvious (and most evil) use of this is to animate all opponents' lands (with Karn) once this enters play. You could also animate their entire boards (mana willing) in response to creature-sweepers.
Darksteel Forge - this is your best element of protection. You're only one boomerang away from utter destruction, though - so I advise getting into play early, copying it or playing it with flash (Thanks shimmer myr !)
Clock of Omens - This card is one of the best cards in the deck - despite the tricky math. My favorite play is always this and Myr Turbine
Rings of Brighthearth - This lets you do many, many things. Any artifact that taps can probably benefit from this.
DETAILED BREAKDOWN
MANA ARTIFACTS:
These come in two varieties, those that produce more mana than they cost to play (Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, Mana Vault, Grim Monolith) that get you ahead of the pack in terms of tempo - these are widely considered some of the best cards in the game. They belong in your deck. Mox Opal got pulled out on one of my recent revisions. For the price, it's definitely got the lowest usability in terms of cost:utility.
The other variety are those that tap for 3 or more mana. These are vital if you're running voltaic combo - they're good even if you're not, though.
Lastly, cards that function as mana artifacts (Blinkmoth Urn, Cloud Key, Semblance Anvil, and Mycosynth Golem) should be included too - these are all avenues you need to learn and utilize to ease your mana curve and to be able to play many of the cards in your hand whenever you want.
Most of the cards here are the best at getting you the card you want or showing you more cards. Luckily, there's a ton of options here (notably, planar portal is missing, see above).
Eye of Ugin - This card is phenomenal for fetching the creatures you need EOT late game (which is always when you need them) to win.
Expedition Map - I'm very guilty of almost always fetching a Mishra's workshop, even when that's not always the best call. It'll help you round out your Tron, get a Maze of Ith or Glacial Chasm, Snag a Vesuva - or even get a blinkmoth well to tap your static orb down right before your turn comes around !
Sensei's Divining Top - This card will work well with the Rings of Brighhearth. This card gets better with shuffle effects and with cloud key / semblance anvil.
Skullclamp - This is above-curve card draw. Animate 1-drop artifacts and equip them in a pinch.
Howling Mine - This thing's been a multiplayer gem for what - two decades ? It alone has kept me alive thanks to opponents who wanted the extra draw. Tapping it shuts it off, too - so keep that in mind !
Scroll Rack - oftentimes, activating this card once can be explosive enough to propel you into a win. This thing should always be gas.
Crystal Ball - Scry 2. This is the least useful of the library manipulators - but it's has it's uses. I've ridden it out of hairy situations enough to respect it - it's a silent hero.
Serum Tank - Cheapish, recurring card draw. I don't think I've ever run out of counters. Most of the time, I'll verbally note when I add a counter instead of taking the time to do so. The opponents appreciate that.
Skyship Weatherlight - This card takes some finesse. You don't want to fetch voltaic construct with it unless you're desperate (or can immediately activate it). Usually i'll play it one of two ways - 1) to get 2 or 3 cards that would help but not that will immediately win it for me. 2) to thin my deck out to leave only business cards left. Regardless of what you get, your opponents will target it - so be prepared to lose whatever you put under it.
Tower of Fortunes - Yeah, it's expensive to activate - but one or two activations is likely all you'll need. Also - this and a few other cards are great when you have infinite mana + untaps with Karn + Voltaic Construct but don't have a win condition. These card drawers can draw your deck out for you.
Citanul Flute - many key cards in here are critters. Voltaic, shimmer myr and scarecrone are common targets. It also combos nicely with scroll rack and activation for 0 for a free shuffle.
Mind's Eye - This is one of the most potent sources of card draw in here. Sometimes it's sneaky and sometimes it makes you a gigantic target - but it's definitely a crucial card.
Memory Jar - This usually elicits groans from the audience. Usually it can get you a new hand and accelerate you into some great stuff - but it can also be used with karn + Infinite mana + a Nim Deathmantle to animate, activate and return to play (repeat) with the deathmantle to deck your opponents.
Ornate Kanzashi - I'm not going to lie. This serves little purpose other than being a weird card/win condition (it gets around eldrazi and other re-shufflers). It's great with Mycosynth lattice and infinite mana, though - you can play all nonlands in your opponent's decks.
Occasionally, you can activate it blindly on a whim and actually hit gold. It adds this zest of random interaction - and that's always good when you're trying to not get curbstomped.
Staff of Nin - This is just all-around good. Accelerant + Win condition in one card. Slow, but good.
Meekstone - This is a perfect example of the kind of utility that we're looking for in here. Low CMC, Serious impact - and it could get you killed, but usually it'll slow down an onslaught or eat targeted removal.
Static Orb - I try not to run too many prison effects - and this is more than that if you can tap it with clock of omens or blinkmoth well. People seem to hate this card only when it's played to sit on the board with no hopes of capitalizing on it. If you play it, try & win in the next two turns.
Storm Cauldron - This card can be nuts in here. I've held down a game with a sol ring, a thran dynamo, this and a Mishra's workshop. If you can get this + the workshop, things should be easier.
Mycosynth Lattice - Right now, this card serves a few purposes : Karn using it to eat lands is the most obvious. Flashing it in (with shimmer myr) in response to artifact wipe will restart the game (unless you have the darksteel forge out). It also allows me to play anything off of Ornate Kanzashi. This isn't absolutely necessary, but it is nice.
Nim Deathmantle - When paired with Karn and enough mana, it'll save all your artifacts from the graveyard by animating them with Karn before they're destroyed - see the rules text on the card window for more info.
Swiftfoot Boots - usually these will come down on Karn or Voltaic Construct - but occasionally, Kuldotha Forgemaster will see them too.
(Note we'll likely be including Illusionist's Bracers soon)
Relic of Progenitus - this is one of the best GY removal options available - and it'll cycle for a card in a pinch, too.
Erratic Portal - I was hesitant to include this - and only did so after suggestion. I was wrong - this is great. I find myself always finding new uses for it other than the obvious. When in infinite combo mode, you can combine this with Mycosynth Lattice and Karn to tap infinitely and return all permanents to their owner's hands.
Nevinyrral's Disk - This was named as an homage to Ringworld author Larry Niven - seriously. Also, try and have Darksteel Forge out if you have to activate this.
Tawnos's Coffin - This card is great on it's own - but it's also fantastic to use with your own Myr Battlesphere or (the currently absent) Shapeshifter. This card can tap down as many creatures as needed in infinite combo mode.
All is Dust - this is really one of your best removal cards. You will often be the only one with non-lands after resolving this. Just make sure you use this judiciously.
Karn Liberated - to be honest, I added him when he came out and haven't seen very much of him. He's been incredibly solid every time I do see him, though - especially with Static orb or Forcefield.
Spine of Ish Sah - Imagine this as a colorless Desert Twister that has some interesting possibilities.
Glacial Chasm - Often, this will buy you enough turns to win. You don't always need to ride it out until death, two or three turns can be plenty.
Maze of Ith - This goes in just about any EDH deck that can afford one.
Forcefield - This has always been one of my favorite cards in magic - and EDH is the only place it's really seen now. I love this thing and I'd suggest investing in a real one to anybody who can swing it. Note that you can even reduce shrouded creatures with this - it's a "Choose", not a "target".
Nova Pentacle - This is a card I added on a whim because I remembered never being able to slot it into a deck. It's performed admirably here - it allows for a ton of interaction.
Witchbane Orb - This is a Artifact Ivory Mask. It's saved me from infinite Comet Storms and a bonfire or two a couple of times. It's ok.
Soul Conduit - For so long, I wanted a Mirror Universe in here. Well, along came New Phyrexia and made a more useful version. Yes, it costs 6 to both play and activate, but usually by time my life total is in danger, 6 should not be a problem. Just having this out with the mana to activate it can keep you safe.
Darksteel Forge - This makes all your stuff indestructible. Once you play it, it usually terrifies the table and gets them to target it if possible. They can bounce or exile it - so don't rest on your laurels.
Voltaic Key - This card is incredibly useful. When paired with a cheap mana artifact early on, it can accelerate you past the hate. Later on, it can allow for some crucial plays - like having 4 Mimic vat tokens to swing with for one attack phase.
Clock of Omens - What's the only untapper that's better than the key ? The clock. This allows for so many amazing plays - I love to pair it with Myr Turbine but you shouldn't overlook it's ability to tap your own cards down on command (like howling mine and static orb)
Unwinding Clock - with a few mana artifacts and a shimmer myr you can dump your hand before your turn even comes back around again. Even without the myr, you should be able to activate plenty of abilities. Note that if you like to use Karn to let your whole board attack, this (after Akroma's Memorial) is one of the best cards to have in play.
Codex Shredder - This little thing has had a trial run in here for the past couple of months. It's been alright so far. It's narrow in application - but if you get it + rings of brighthearth and any infinite mana combo, you can return your entire graveyard to your hand by copying the shredder's second ability. It also works if you've got something boring on top of your own library with Sensei's Divining Top or Scroll Rack - it'll get those useless cards offa there. It can also set a sweet play with scarecrone.
Mimic Vat - This is such a great card - one of EDH's best. Hopefully all of your opponents don't have theirs out also. There's a trick to activate it right before your turn and once again on your turn to have two copies of the critter to swing with. Don't neglect the fact that it can exile critters that need to hit the graveyard.
Rings of Brighthearth - There are too many interactions with this to list - know that if it taps to do something, then copying it with the rings will usually make it twice as good. Remember to read the errata on Basalt Monolith with this in play to generate infinite mana (tap, then untap & copy the untap ability to net 1 each time).
Sculpting Steel - This is any card you already have in play or any artifact an opponent controls.
Ice Cauldron - This is a personal flavor call, so don't feel like this is necessary - unless you want one of the coolest cards in the history of the game. It's got a TON of errata - but here's the jist of it:
Normal usage - this thing's just a credit card. You tap it and pay any amount (even 0) to put a charge token and a card down on it (in exiled-pseudo-commander-zone-limbo). Tap it again to add the token to your pool to cast the card on it.
Extreme usage - this thing's a safe deposit box. With a lot of untap effects, you can put your whole hand on this card. You can only use the most recent charge counter to cast the most recent card placed on here - but the cards are exiled (but playable) - and even if the cauldron is removed, you can still play them (unlike Skyship Weatherlight).
Trading Post - I got into EDH right after Staff of Domination got the boot. This is the next best thing. It's a swiss-army-knife and one of the few sources of recursion.
Mirrorworks - When you can get this out, it can quickly overwhelm your opponents.
Myr Turbine - Yeah, it really just makes myr (and you can tutor for a battlesphere or shimmer myr) But it can give you a ton of chump blockers, or Clock of omens fodder. This gives you something to do that doesn't immediately threaten people.
Akroma's Memorial - This is ideal for turning on all your artifacts with Karn and alpha-striking in for the win. Just don't try to copy it with Sculpting Steel.
Kuldotha Forgemaster: I usually sac him + 2 other things to get the card I really need right now. With enough myr tokens around, he gets a lot more useful.
Mycosynth Golem: His primary use is as a cost-reducer. "But only creatures ?" Yeah - oftentimes the only thing stopping you from winning is not having the 9+Mana to play Karn + Voltaic construct, the 1 to turn something into a creature and 2 to untap it (plus some left back for emergencies.)
This guy can come out very cheap and let you steal a win way earlier than you should.
Myr Battlesphere : This has taken out it's fair share of players - but being able to generate infinite myr/infinite damage can do that. Infinite Myr, you say ? Yeah...pair this with a Krark Clan Ironworks and a Nim Deathmantle and you'll get both infinite myr and infinite colorless mana. It works well with myr turbine and clock of omens also.
Scarecrone: She's kinda iffy - a lot of times, she'll simply just cycle - but it's those few times that she lets me get a long-buried voltaic construct back to win the game that makes her worthwhile. She's a silver bullet in a deck that needs her sometimes. I won't mind if you leave her out - but you should try her first.
Shimmer Myr - this is a vedalken orrery that you can tutor for with eye of ugin, citanul flute and Myr Turbine. He'll likely come out for free with mycosynth golem and he himself has flash - and that last bit is important. The flash means you can play him and whatever else you want in response to a big sweeper or game-changing effect. Many times, I'll play him followed by other cards to win - on the stack - before the offending effect resolves. Don't do this too often though - you'll spook people and they'll assume you can always do it at will.
Voltaic Construct - ahh, ol' volty. If there's any card in the deck that we could use a functional reprint of, it'd be this guy right here. I've already said a bit about him up top, so suffice it to say, he's crucial if you're cool with combo.
Mana Producers:
Ancient Tomb,Temple of the False God, City of Traitors, Scorched Ruins, Urza's Tower, Urza's Power Plant, Urza's Mine & Mishra's Workshop
Attack Deterrent:
Maze of Ith, Mistifying Maze, Quicksand, Desert, Mishra's Factory
The rest of the lands occupy minor-but-occasionally-useful roles. They are largely interchangeable - but I like to think I've got the best choices out of them here.
Construction Notes:
The following are just a few of the cards that I have either tried, have plans to try, or have considered trying in the deck:
- Arena of the Ancients
- Avarice Totem
- Amulet of Unmaking
- Argentum Armor
- Artisan of Kozilek
- Akroma's memorial
- Candelabra of Tawnos
- Cauldron of Souls
- Chalice of the Void
- Crucible of Worlds
- Darksteel Colossus
- Everflowing Chalice
- Forcefield
- Goblin Cannon
- Heartseeker
- Helm of Awakening
- Howling Mine
- Ice Cauldron
- It That Betrays
- Krark-Clan Ironworks
- Liquimetal Coating
- Lifeline
- Masticore
- Magistrate's Scepter
- Mindless Autotomaton
- Null Brooch
- Orochi Hatchery
- Pithing Needle
- Platinum Angel
- Platinum Emperion
- Phyrexian Processor
- Preadator, Flagship
- Smokestack
- Silent Arbiter
- Skullclamp
- Sundering Titan
- Sun Droplet
- Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
- Trinisphere
- Winter Orb
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth + Kormus BellSummoning Station + Altar of Dementia
How do I know what's right for me ?
Once you get some experience under your belt, you'll be much better equipped to decide what's really going to help your deck. I think most people would agree that this deck plays differently than it looks on paper. Time and experience will get you comfortable with the deck and capable of making informed decisions. I highly value utility in my deck. I like cards that can come out early and do something useful on their own.
I want to tweak your list, but how do I know what's good ?
For Colorless cards, I'd rate their access to various elements of the game as follows (on a 1-10 scale):
Acceleration______8/10
Card Draw________6/10
Tutoring__________4/10
Mass Removal_____3/10
Counters_________1/10
Control___________7/10
Utility Cards_______6/10
Recursion_________4/10
This is a personal (and arbitrary scale) and I refer to these grades when evaluating potential new additions. I feel like the current deck is pretty good at card quality, but could use a hand in acceleration and recursion. Any new cards that have elements of this get strong consideration.
Quotes
Notable Karn-isms:
Being a central figure in the Weatherlight saga (and one of the few surviving members AND NOW A PLANESWALKER) there's a dearth of good flavor text from 'Ol Steely Dan:
"Every act of destruction has a repercussion." Aftershock
"An innocent man died because of my anger. That knowledge will haunt me for all eternity." Agonizing Memories
"My world is corrupted beyond cleansing. I must prevent this from happening to other worlds" Argent Mutation
"If it is meant to be nothing but a machine," Karn finally asked Jhoira, "why did Urza build it to be like me?" Beast of Burden
"I am reminded of the fable of the silver egg. Its owner cracks it open to see what jewels it holds, only to discover a simple yellow yolk." Bottle Gnomes
"Consider the fable of the greedy herder. As her flock grew, so did her weariness; she slept, and the sheep wandered off." Fade Away
"Remember the moral of the fireslinger fable: with power comes isolation." Fireslinger Whooooaaa...prophetic.
"Anger is fleeting; remorse is eternal." Fit of Rage
"Remember the fable of the elf who came upon a cave of gold. In trying to free the largest piece, she was crushed by its weight." Flowstone Blade
"One cannot cleanse the wounds of failure." Humility
"At first I simply observed. But I found that without investment in others, life serves no purpose." Intervene
"History is a potent weapon." Scrivener
"Whereas I was created to protect, the biskelion was created to destroy." Serrated Biskelion
"Twice I have let the Legacy slip away. Never again." Sift
"Everything the wise woman learned she wrote in a book, and when the pages were black with ink, she took white ink and began again." Spellbook
"Although I would give my life to protect Gerrard, my conscience will not let me take another's. There are many who would not hesitate." Steel Golem
"Because I am incapable of tears does not mean I have no need to shed them." Tendrils of Despair
"One touch to the stone and the sidar's son turned me from stalwart to statue." Touchstone
"We are kinfolk," explained Karn to the sliver queen. "Just as you need your progeny to complete you, so do I need the pieces of the Legacy to make me whole." Victual Sliver
"Many have been lost to pity." Wall of Tears
And lastly...
"Until you have lived as a statue, do not talk to me of pigeons." Xanthic Statue
Strategic Overview:
I always find that the best course of action is to not appear as the biggest aggressor until you have stable mana production & a few lockdown cards in play or a combo available. While that's in the works, focus on the deck's myriad interactions & relative obscurities as your primary weapon. Played correctly - you'll seem harmless, yet bewildering. These will usually generate some very valuable card advantage. I always try to avoid unnecessarily playing cards that seem overly fearsome or cards everyone hates - they'll get blown up along with getting too much attention on your side of the board - if this happens often, take note of which cards upset your opponents the most and consider changing them for the sake of being less of a threat.
Strive to get away with playing cards that slow down a breakneck-speed game without drawing too much fire - and I don't suggest dropping static orb unless you can work it to your advantage. Land destruction makes people nervous. I very rarely destroy lands unless I am about to win - mycosynth lattice/Karn will often just make knowledgeable players concede. OH ! And don't forget about Karn ! He can animate your stuff to swing or animate your opponent's artifacts just before a ***-effect.
Early Game: Your #1 Goal is to get to Mid-game. Play cards, preferably ones that accelerate you. All of the mana rocks are great here - even the one-time use ones like mana vault, grim monolith and others. Don't be afraid to take a lot of damage early on with Ancient tomb, Mana Vault or Mana Crypt. You'll be alright soon enough - trust me.
Mid Game: Develop your board presence. Once you get rolling, your initial impulse is to play all these really cool things. Fight that urge. Overcommiting will usually get you into a huge hole you'll need to climb your way out of. Play relevant cards and try and get one of your many draw engines online - scroll rack, mind's eye, memory jar or even tower of fortunes can be crucial - don't forget about Howling Mine, too ! That might keep your other cards from getting blown up just by being there. The more permanents you drop, the more your opponent's eyes will turn your direction - so again, try and monitor your self and prevent playing your entire hand. Having at least one artifact that taps for 3 will make things a lot easier on you. Most of the time, the safest bet is to be an undesirable attack target. Cards like Nova Pentacle, Tawnos's Coffin, Maze of Ith, Erratic Portal and Forcefield will help direct traffic elsewhere.
(At this point, if you might think generating infinite mana is a good idea - and if it's not too early and seems right for the game, then go for it. You'll need one of the aforementioned 3 mana artifacts and Voltaic Construct. If you can find, resolve and activate those in the mid-game uncontested, they might not need to see a late game.)
Late Game: Seal the Deal. If you are still recovering from a mid-game blowout, I'm sorry. It happens. Hopefully it wasn't a Merciless Eviction, Furnace Dragon or Stony Silence. If you have a TON of mana and Karn in play, you can survive any mass destroy effect with a Nim Deathmantle - you just have to pay 5 for each artifact you want to save (1 for Karn's ability and 4 for the Deathmantle's) If you were holding a Sol Ring or Everflowing Chalice, then now is the time. Get back in the game - Trading Post can help a ton here.
If you're not recovering, then why haven't you won already ? Just play an Eye of Ugin or Citanul Flute to fetch Voltaic Construct. Going the aggro route ? Find Akroma's Memorial or Glaring Spotlight and put the silver dudes in the red zone ! Shimmer Myr is great here - it's an unexpected trick that can let you flash in combo pieces or a soul conduit and really rain on someone's parade.
Threats to Our Plan
I fear a few cards - Null Rod, Hurkyl's Recall, Back to Basics, Furnace Dragon, and Energy Flux are a couple. I don't see them very often, though. If you rock Karn often enough to the point where your group has begun actively playing hate cards for it, then consider yourself successful - they are scared of what your deck is capable of doing. I don't run a huge amount of removal in the deck - there's not much out there, really. Oftentimes, you'll just have to play out of a boardwipe - but sometimes you will get lucky and resolve a Karn Liberated and it'll stick. If it's possible, remember that your general can always turn opposing artifacts into creatures (that can more easily be dealt with). If someone has locked you down with a stony silence or Null Rod, your options become severely limited. Appeal to other players for help if possible - if you're not good-looking enough for them to fall for it, then hope you draw the planeswalker. Regardless, keep playing and be a good sport - odds are you have subjected an opponent or two to similar fates before. Try not to commit too many new cards into play - the effect that gets you back in the game might be the same one that blows up your board in the process - and you'll need to rebuild with the quickness.
Tips
Try to always know all of your options. Start by understanding the engines of the deck and see how you cards can work. If you're new to the deck & in doubt, just try to play a combo to win - it's probably the easiest way to win with the deck. Make sure you understand what your are doing first, though. No one likes losing to a combo that can't be explained and demonstrated by it's owner. Never wait until it's almost your turn to activate your top, crystal ball, etc. (It's rude and a waste of everyone else's time). Always do this during other's turns unless absolutely necessary. Try not to ever blindly tutor - Have some idea of what you want before activating Kuldotha Forgemaster, Grinning Totem, Skyship Weatherlight, Citanul Flute, Planar Portal, Expedition Map or Eye of Ugin.
This deck is capable of both attacking and building combo - Master doing both simultaneously and you can baffle your opponents.
Lastly, know your win conditions ! You've got three main options:
(Attacking - Myr Battlesphere shenanigans, Karn + Akroma's Memorial alpha strike, Infect (Grafted Exoskeleton), etc.)
(Combos - Infinite mana + untaps allow you to use Staff of Nin and Ornate Kanzashi as win conditions,
(Attrition - (Lock 'em out if you have to) - Nevinyrral's Disk + Darksteel Forge, Karn + Infinite mana + Mycosynth Lattice to destroy all your opponents lands.
COMBOS
The Karn + Voltaic Construct + 3Mana Artifact is the backbone of many larger combos in the deck. I'm trying to include some that don't need the voltaic contruct to win off of infinite mana. So far, Goblin Cannon is the only option and that's too narrow for my needs. How the combo works:
Once you demonstrate understanding of that concept, here are a few of the possibilities you can use with infinite mana and your voltaic construct to allow infinite untaps of a newly-animated artifact. (Note that there's a few cards in here that aren't in my list anymore - but they might be in yours !)
Infinite Mana :
Karn, Silver Golem + Voltaic Construct + (any one of) Basalt Monolith, Mana Vault, Grim Monolith, Thran Dynamo, Gilded Lotus or Dreamstone Hedron
Basalt Monolith + Rings of the Brighthearth
Deserted Temple + Rings of the Brighthearth + Scorched Ruins
Voltaic Key + Rings of the Brighthearth + Scorched Ruins + Mycosynth Lattice
Infinite Life &/or 0/1 Tokens:
(With Voltaic Construct Infinite Combo) + Mycosynth Lattice + Trading Post
Infinite Draw/Tutor:
(With Voltaic Construct Infinite Combo), Crystal Ball, Tower of Fortunes, Citanul Flute, Temporal Aperture Skyship Weatherlight or Planar Portal
Infinite Damage:
(With Voltaic Construct Infinite Combo), + Scarecrone + Triskelion
(With Voltaic Construct Infinite Combo) + Goblin Charbelcher
(With Voltaic Construct Infinite Combo), Tawnos's Coffin + Voltaic Key + Rings of Brighthearth + Triskelion
(With Voltaic Construct Infinite Combo) + Staff of nin
Infinite Turns :
Magistrate's Scepter + Rings of the Brighthearth + Voltaic Key or Clock of Omens
Infinite Exiling of Opponent's Creatures
(With Voltaic Construct Infinite Combo), Tawnos's Coffin + Voltaic Key + Rings of Brighthearth + Duplicant
Infinite Exiling of Opponent's Permanents
(With Voltaic Construct Infinite Combo), Tawnos's Coffin + Voltaic Key + Rings of Brighthearth + Duplicant + Mycosynth Lattice
Play every non-land from every opponents deck
Or (Voltaic Construct Infinite Mana Combo) + Mycosynth Lattice + Ornate Kanzashi
Notable Interactions
Karn, Silver Golem + Mycosynth Lattice to eat all opponents lands
Icy Manipulator,Blinkmoth Well OR Clock of Omens + Storage Matrix Howling Mine, Static Orb or Blinkmoth Urn for one-sided effects.
Tawnos's Coffin + Duplicant, Triskelion or an animated Sculpting Steel orPortcullis for various effects.
Darksteel Forge + Nevinyrral's Disk for a repeatable Wrath effect every turn.
Clock of Omens + Winter Orb or Storage Matrix + Blinkmoth Urn + Any mana artifact or Tawnos's coffin
Goblin Charbelcher + Scroll Rack or Sensei's Diving top
Shimmer Myr + Codex Shredder + Rings of Brighthearth + Infinite Mana = Return your entire graveyard to your hand at instant speed.
Storm Cauldron + Mishra's Workshop - What's better than tapping the workshop once a turn ? Tapping it twice a turn !
NUTS & BOLTS
I've played Magic off-and-on since '93. I got back in for EDH only with some pals and have been back since ZEN block.
But my real love is Shadowfist. It captures the fun I had playing multiplayer magic back in the day in a way that Magic just can't anymore. The community is much smaller and the market is much simpler - most of the cards aren't worth very much on the secondary market. Deckbuilding and play is a little different, but there are tons of similarities to Magic - they're only one year apart in age.
The good thing about the community is that it's easier to play an active part. They request all players to submit card ideas at the beginning of the design cycle. If you're artistic, you can probably get a gig doing art for one or more cards - I have.
If you've ever been a fan of Big Trouble in Little China or Hard Boiled or Heroic Trio - or justabout any action movie - you should at least step a little bit outside your Magic comfort zone and give this a try - I did and I'm so very grateful.
1/1/11
I'm strongly considering swapping the following cards :
Helm of Awakening for Mind Stone
Everflowing Chalice for Dreamstone Hedron
Magistrate's Scepter for Portcullis
1/11/11
Latest Changes :
-1 mindstone
-1 Ward of Bones
-1 Prototype Portal
-1 Portcullis
-1 Grafted Exoskeleton
-1 Basilisk Collar
-1 Ghost Quarter
-1 Arcbound reclaimer
-1 Vedalken Orrery
-1 Ulamog, infinite Gyre
+1 Helm of awakening
+1 Everflowing Chalice
+1 Static Orb
+1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
+1 Howling Mine
+1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
+1 Lodestone Golem
+1 Magistrate's Scepter
+1 Pithing Needle
+1 Platinum Angel
3/30/11
IN:
5/22/11
IN:
Unwinding Clock
Soul Conduit
9/20/11
IN:
Erratic Portal
12/30/11
IN:
Ice Cauldron
4/18/12
IN:
Nova Pentacle
1/29/12
OUT:
Scarecrone
Crystal Ball
Mishra's Factory <- This saddens me.
IN:
Thanks to DarkKnightCavalier from Heroes of the Plane Studios for this awesome signature!
I'd love to see another broken card (in my deck, at least) like voltaic construct. I'm hoping that out of the 50 of so upcoming artifacts, there are a few that I might be able to use. I have high hopes for neo-evil-Karn. Also - I'd love to see a Basic land that only produces 1 colorless - Then I could run Solemn Simulacrum, Armillary Sphere and Extraplanar Lens
Latest Changes :
-1 mindstone
-1 Ward of Bones
-1 Prototype Portal
-1 Portcullis
-1 Grafted Exoskeleton
-1 Basilisk Collar
-1 Ghost Quarter
-1 Arcbound reclaimer
-1 Vedalken Orrery
-1 Ulamog, infinite Gyre
+1 Helm of awakening
+1 Everflowing Chalice
+1 Static Orb
+1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
+1 Howling Mine
+1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
+1 Lodestone Golem
+1 Magistrate's Scepter
+1 Pithing Needle
+1 Platinum Angel
I will update shenanigans & synergy after I get some sleep.
Thanks to DarkKnightCavalier from Heroes of the Plane Studios for this awesome signature!
EDHCommander Decks (14/27):X Karn, Silver Golem
W Kemba, Kha Regent
U Azami, Lady of Secrets
B Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker
R Akroma, Angel of Fury
G Sasaya, Orochi Ascendant
WU
UB
BR Wort, Boggart Auntie
RG Radha, Heir to Keld
GW
WB
UR
BG
RW
GU
WUB
UBR Thraximundar
BRG
RGW Uril, the Miststalker
GWU Rafiq of the Many
WBR Kaalia of the Vast
URG Riku of the Two Reflections
BGW Ghave, Guru of Spores
RWU
GUB
WUBRG Progenitus
One time and one time only, it was able to turn blasted landscape into an island to tap for 3 blue (colorless) mana due to someone elses Extraplanar lens and Gauntlet of power in play.
So, yeah... it doesn't see much use very often.
EDIT: My deck is still undergoing some changes - I'm trying to remove a lot of unfun lock parts and replace them with more interactive cards and creatures. I'll have a revision to the list up when I am satisfied.
I do have at least two new infinite mana combos in the deck -
Myr Battlesphere + Krark Clan Ironworks + Nim Deathmantle
Myr Welder + a graveyard with : Pili Pala + Dreamstone Hedron (or any artifact that taps for 3)
I'll try to get a change log and some updates up this weekend.
Doesn't seem like that would do anything, since Lens says "a land with the same name" and Gauntlet of Power says "a basic land is tapped for the chosen color"...
but seriously. this deck is nuts. love love love it
EDHCommander Decks (14/27):X Karn, Silver Golem
W Kemba, Kha Regent
U Azami, Lady of Secrets
B Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker
R Akroma, Angel of Fury
G Sasaya, Orochi Ascendant
WU
UB
BR Wort, Boggart Auntie
RG Radha, Heir to Keld
GW
WB
UR
BG
RW
GU
WUB
UBR Thraximundar
BRG
RGW Uril, the Miststalker
GWU Rafiq of the Many
WBR Kaalia of the Vast
URG Riku of the Two Reflections
BGW Ghave, Guru of Spores
RWU
GUB
WUBRG Progenitus
In short, I looove the additions of Nim Deathmantle, Krark Clan Ironworks Myr Welder, Spine of Ish Sah, Shimmer Myr, Myr Matrix, Myr Battlesphere & Mirrorworks - they make the deck more multifaceted and contain many more packets of synergy and infinite combos. Not to mention the deck actually plays a ton more fun and a lot less like a combo deck.
But for the time being, the deck's in temporary Cold Storage.
Also, Erratic Portal just looks downright mean and scary. People see it and know you're up to no good. I'm trying to just fly under the radar here.
Creepy Doll seems like a good blocker / deterrent to attacking me. I doubt It'll find a place in my list, though.
Cellar Door will likely replace Druidic Satchel as my back-up-back-up win condition. It makes insta-blockers, too.
Ghost Quarter's already been cut from the deck once, too - so it's doubtful it'll be re-considered.
EDIT: btw, this karn deck seems like the strongest and funnest karn deck I've seen.
Arahbo, Kitty Kat Beatdown Decklist
Mizzix of the Izmagnus Decklist
Breya, Etherium Shaper
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow Decklist
My Current Set Cube Lists:
Kamigawa Re-Experience
Ravnica, City of Guilds Re-Experience
Alara Re-Experience
karn liberated is a beast, as he is in any deck.
:symu::symr::symg: ANIMAR :symu::symr::symg:
1) Be great fun to play
2) Be fun to play against
3) Get to show off cool old cards
Keep trying it out and let me know what you think !