The deck is full of 2-drops, that's the first thing I realized while testing the deck. It means cards like Smuggler's Copter, additional Metallic Mimics, are likely traps.
Speaking of, Constrictor is better than Mimic imho since it dodges Lili Last Hope, Chainwhirler, Wild Slash, etc... and its effect is stronger in the long run.
Another missing card here is Animation Module : I found the card underwhelming, it's a 1-drop and that's pretty much it in my experience. The lack of Ravager and Plating makes the card only good with Overseer and Nissa. I prefer Sentry, its impact is bigger and strengthens the reach along with Ballista when the race is tight, or the board stalled.
In terms of MUs, the deck felt good overall, but I already figured out a few tough G1s : Jeskai Vehicles & Copycat. Even with 8 removal spells and Ballista, it's not a given.
Besides, the archetype can splash a different colour than black, and can drop the Overseer and play 3 colours as well. Feel free to share your own take on the deck !
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Pioneer - A bunch of stuff Modern - Humans Legacy - Grixis Phoenix / Death & Taxes
I wonder if Evolutionary Leap is worth a couple of maindeck slots as a card advantage source and a sac'-outlet for Hangarback.
Sac'ing Nissa plant-tokens to it seems good as well.
Sentry has a higher ceiling than Sparring, since it can be cast for 1 or 2, gets bigger in case of a scales effect, and can act as removal / reach. Sparring always enters as a 1/1 unfortunately, it doesn't benefit from scales effects directly, and its effect only provides 1 counter (/scales effect) no matter how big it grew with Overseer and Nissa...
Chief and Rishkar are 3-drops, and I don't think I want more than 2-3 copies of that cmc in the main. Maybe Rishkar is better than Nissa though, or a good complement. The artifact lord seems not to fit the archetype though.
Leap is indeed one of the cards I'd like to test more. I'm not sure the meta is slow enough for now, so I would have time to mess around G1, but it's definitely a strong effect in slow MUs !
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Pioneer - A bunch of stuff Modern - Humans Legacy - Grixis Phoenix / Death & Taxes
Chamber Sentry does look rather weak, it looks like kinda serpent kinda ballista but weaker than both. Admittedly havent tested it tho.
Would you consider Thoughtseize in its place?
Well, I consider Thoughtseize, but I am not sure I want to decrease the amount of artifact creatures. It can be 2 copies and not 4, can be in the slot of other interactive spells, or indeed, in the Sentry slots.
There's also a consideration for variants in the Overseer variant itself. Karn PWs are good, especially Karn, the Great Creator. It stops vehicles, can search for Amulet of Safekeeping (Copycat MU) G1, Graf Cage, T's Crypt, go big with Verdurous GH... It's 4 mana but the upside is there.
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Pioneer - A bunch of stuff Modern - Humans Legacy - Grixis Phoenix / Death & Taxes
4 Winding Constrictor
4 Steel Overseer
4 Walking Ballista
4 Hangarback Walker
4 Stonecoil Serpent
4 Chamber Sentry
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Assassin's Trophy
4 Fatal Push
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Woodland Cemetery
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Karn's Bastion
1 Ruins of Oran-Rief
3 Forest
2 Mistcutter Hydra
2 Scavenging Ooze
2 Phyrexian revoker
2 Evolutionary Leap
2 Noxious Grasp
2 Collective Brutality
2 Duress
The deck is full of 2-drops, that's the first thing I realized while testing the deck. It means cards like Smuggler's Copter, additional Metallic Mimics, are likely traps.
Speaking of, Constrictor is better than Mimic imho since it dodges Lili Last Hope, Chainwhirler, Wild Slash, etc... and its effect is stronger in the long run.
Another missing card here is Animation Module : I found the card underwhelming, it's a 1-drop and that's pretty much it in my experience. The lack of Ravager and Plating makes the card only good with Overseer and Nissa. I prefer Sentry, its impact is bigger and strengthens the reach along with Ballista when the race is tight, or the board stalled.
In terms of MUs, the deck felt good overall, but I already figured out a few tough G1s : Jeskai Vehicles & Copycat. Even with 8 removal spells and Ballista, it's not a given.
Other takes on the artifact variant :
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/2435417#paper
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/2435406#paper
Besides, the archetype can splash a different colour than black, and can drop the Overseer and play 3 colours as well. Feel free to share your own take on the deck !
It seems a bit weak as mostly a 2/2 for 2 (besides Scales/Constrictor bonuses).
What about Sparring Construct (the Arcbound Worker replacement) instead as another 1-drop ?
Or Chief of the Foundry as an artifact lord.
Rishkar, Peema Renegade was good in the Standard Constrictor decks and might be good here as well.
I wonder if Evolutionary Leap is worth a couple of maindeck slots as a card advantage source and a sac'-outlet for Hangarback.
Sac'ing Nissa plant-tokens to it seems good as well.
Chief and Rishkar are 3-drops, and I don't think I want more than 2-3 copies of that cmc in the main. Maybe Rishkar is better than Nissa though, or a good complement. The artifact lord seems not to fit the archetype though.
Leap is indeed one of the cards I'd like to test more. I'm not sure the meta is slow enough for now, so I would have time to mess around G1, but it's definitely a strong effect in slow MUs !
Would you consider Thoughtseize in its place?
There's also a consideration for variants in the Overseer variant itself. Karn PWs are good, especially Karn, the Great Creator. It stops vehicles, can search for Amulet of Safekeeping (Copycat MU) G1, Graf Cage, T's Crypt, go big with Verdurous GH... It's 4 mana but the upside is there.
Hardened Scales won this 160 players event !
The deck seems to have legs, winning over a plethora of Copycat, Izzet Phoenix, G Devo and G ramp decks.