Let me ask you about your budget. I sort of assumed you were avoiding expensive cards like Demonic Tutor. But both Rhystic Study and Sylvan Library are fairly expensive. If you find yourself really getting into commander I would suggest you go ahead and get certain cards. It isn't impossible to see reprints in a future masters set, but if you look at the price history of cards like Vampiric Tutor and Enlightened Tutor you will see that they rebound fairly well.
I like the idea of some stax elements as most people are generally unprepared for them.
I don't really want to become a Paradox Engine deck as that card becomes the go to win every game. The deck already has the potential to do some pretty samey stuff. It would be very powerful, that is for sure.
I did some tuning to the deck. Not too much but it should be fairly good. I will try to test the deck this Friday but with the hurricane the shop might be closed.
OG Mizzet will always be the best one to combo off with. I think the format as a whole has moved past him being one of the best combo commanders, but I dont think that has anything to do with the new Mizzets.
These changes are an attempt to add some velocity to the deck. I removed some of the weaker mana stuff for two of the best. Sai can sacrifice artifacts once they have lived past their usefulness so both of these cards are better here than elsewhere.
I've enjoyed playing artifact decks since I started playing magic. My first experience with the archetype was a kitchen table affinity deck my friend used to ruin everyone's fun. I built my first artifact deck for commander in 2012 which featured Bosh, Iron Golem. Ever since then I've been building and dismantling different artifact decks. This year with the release of Commander 2018 I toyed around with Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer. I was not in love with this commander. I did have a very fun game where I had an early Sai, Master Thopterist which is part of the reason why I wanted to build this deck.
This deck is a work in progress. It aims to create artifact based synergy, use creatures as a source of mana and cards, and then hopefully win with big combo turns or large flying tokens.
It sounds to me as if the tuning has gone well. I love Crystalline Crawler, it is such a powerful mana creature in Atraxa lists. I even run it in superfriends. It is free if you use 4 different mana to cast it and its ramp if you have any counter increasing cards.
I would like to see the pimped out cards in the deck. I have a few foils and sweet stuff for my list as well. My local shop had a foil Enchantress's Presence that I was able to scoop up for a pretty good deal. It is in nice condition as well.
I've enjoyed all the enchant lands so far. They aren't good magic cards, but they way they work with the deck as a whole makes them worth it. Nature's Lore is stronger than Sheltered Aerie in general. Nature's Lore does not trigger Satyr Enchanter nor is its cost reduced by Herald of the Pantheon. It isn't returned by Estrid's ultimate and it doesn't count towards Sphere of Safety.
Also when I activate Estrid I'm not thinking of how I recouped the cost of these bad cards. I'm thinking my commander is free. I'll get to double or triple spell this turn. Estrid does something enchantress could never do in the past. She generates positive tempo.
I played a 6 man game last Friday where I was able to live so easily because of Ghostly Prison. So many combat phases people wanted to attack me and they couldn't because they didn't have the mana. So many chump attacks with tokens were avoided. I wish it protected Estrid but I like the cards for their ability to change people's minds. They are great political tools.
I made these changes mostly due to some of your advice darren. Femeref Enchantress was pretty excellent against the enchantment wraths midgame drawing me six cards. I wasn't running this before as I didn't own one but I decided to pick one up once I fell in love with the deck. I cut Thassa for it as she is one of the weaker card advantage engines I had.
I wasn't able to get the Arbor Elf nut draws in a real game yet. It has been quite good in goldfishing with either Utopia Sprawl or Wild Growth. I cut Refuge for the Elf as it doesn't allow us to cast it or use it so I figured it was the weakest utility land.
I think having more removal is better than Estrids Invocation doubling up on something. Imprisoned in the Moon is good against commanders as well. I haven't missed Invocation and Imprisoned in the Moon/Song of the Dryads have both been very useful so far.
I think Sea of Clouds is better than Island is most cases. I'm running a good amount of basics as it stands.
Having more fetches is something I really want. I did notice every time I get Future Sight into play I wish I could shuffle.
I'm still on the fence about cutting Sol Ring. Im at the point where I wonder if I could cut a land? I always feel sketchy cutting lands or cards like Sol Ring as I feel like there is a fine balance here. I do get flooded sometimes. But I also like hitting all my land drops and maximizing Exploration when I draw it.
I took inspiration for darrenhabibs deck but yours seems to be more in line with where I ended up.
I've been able to play about 2 games a week with Estrid since she came out. I think I have a good collection of ramp, card draw, and removal. I find myself getting to a point where it is hard to close out games. I don't think that is bad really, just something I noticed and was wondering if you had the same issue. Sometimes it is nice to play more control and let the game go longer.
I find myself getting flooded sometimes. I have 36 lands + 14 enchant lands + 1 Arbor Elf. I was thinking of adding Compulsion or Trade Routes to just discard extra lands. It is mana intensive to loot but it is an option.
Good point about As Foretold as a topdeck. Not the greatest in the late game.
I do like Nissa, Vital Force. I could try that in the superfriends build as well. I'm also glad to see the Sorin go. He doesn't seem all that good in your deck unless you really want the anthem.
These changes are an attempt to add more card draw. There is a very fine balance to the amount of ramp and card draw we want. We are also trying to use a certain amount of synergy cards as well. Will and Gambit are both useful in PW focused decks and I've been liking their performance so far.
I don't really want to become a Paradox Engine deck as that card becomes the go to win every game. The deck already has the potential to do some pretty samey stuff. It would be very powerful, that is for sure.
I did some tuning to the deck. Not too much but it should be fairly good. I will try to test the deck this Friday but with the hurricane the shop might be closed.
9/12/18
Removed:
Sky Diamond
Coral Atoll
4 Island
Added:
Grim Monolith
Mana Crypt
Polluted Delta
Flooded Strand
Scalding Tarn
Misty Rainforest
These changes are an attempt to add some velocity to the deck. I removed some of the weaker mana stuff for two of the best. Sai can sacrifice artifacts once they have lived past their usefulness so both of these cards are better here than elsewhere.
This deck is a work in progress. It aims to create artifact based synergy, use creatures as a source of mana and cards, and then hopefully win with big combo turns or large flying tokens.
1 Sai, Master Thopterist
Creatures:
1 Hangarback Walker
1 Chief Engineer
1 Etherium Sculptor
1 Myr Retriever
1 Steel Overseer
1 Chief of the Foundry
1 Foundry Inspector
1 Master of Etherium
1 Junk Diver
1 Scrap Trawler
1 Treasure Mage
1 Trinket Mage
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Vedalken Archmage
1 Kuldotha Forgemaster
1 Duplicant
1 Meteor Golem
1 Myr Battlesphere
Planeswalkers:
1 Karn, Scion of Urza
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
Enchantments:
1 Copy Artifact
1 Thopter Spy Network
Instants:
1 Pact of Negation
1 Counterspell
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Memory Lapse
1 Negate
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Fabricate
1 Thoughtcast
Artifacts:
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Mana Crypt
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Expedition Map
1 Mana Vault
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Retrofitter Foundry
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
1 Voltaic Key
1 Grim Monolith
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Mind Stone
1 Thought Vessel
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Phyrexian Altar
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Bident of Thassa
1 Clock of Omens
1 Hedron Archive
1 Krark-Clan Ironworks
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Unwinding Clock
1 Ur-Golem's Eye
1 Blinkmoth Urn
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Spine of Ish Sah
1 Darksteel Forge
1 Academy Ruins
1 Buried Ruin
1 Darksteel Citadel
1 Flooded Strand
1 Inventors' Fair
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Myriad Landscape
1 Polluted Delta
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Seat of the Synod
25 Island
Also when I activate Estrid I'm not thinking of how I recouped the cost of these bad cards. I'm thinking my commander is free. I'll get to double or triple spell this turn. Estrid does something enchantress could never do in the past. She generates positive tempo.
I played a 6 man game last Friday where I was able to live so easily because of Ghostly Prison. So many combat phases people wanted to attack me and they couldn't because they didn't have the mana. So many chump attacks with tokens were avoided. I wish it protected Estrid but I like the cards for their ability to change people's minds. They are great political tools.
Out:
Island
Estrid's Invocation
Alchemist's Refuge
Thassa, God of the Sea
In:
Sea of Clouds
Imprisoned in the Moon
Arbor Elf
Femeref Enchantress
I made these changes mostly due to some of your advice darren. Femeref Enchantress was pretty excellent against the enchantment wraths midgame drawing me six cards. I wasn't running this before as I didn't own one but I decided to pick one up once I fell in love with the deck. I cut Thassa for it as she is one of the weaker card advantage engines I had.
I wasn't able to get the Arbor Elf nut draws in a real game yet. It has been quite good in goldfishing with either Utopia Sprawl or Wild Growth. I cut Refuge for the Elf as it doesn't allow us to cast it or use it so I figured it was the weakest utility land.
I think having more removal is better than Estrids Invocation doubling up on something. Imprisoned in the Moon is good against commanders as well. I haven't missed Invocation and Imprisoned in the Moon/Song of the Dryads have both been very useful so far.
I think Sea of Clouds is better than Island is most cases. I'm running a good amount of basics as it stands.
Future changes I want to make:
Remove:
Sol Ring
Plains
Add:
Stony Silence
Arid Mesa
Having more fetches is something I really want. I did notice every time I get Future Sight into play I wish I could shuffle.
I'm still on the fence about cutting Sol Ring. Im at the point where I wonder if I could cut a land? I always feel sketchy cutting lands or cards like Sol Ring as I feel like there is a fine balance here. I do get flooded sometimes. But I also like hitting all my land drops and maximizing Exploration when I draw it.
1 Estrid, the Masked
Artifacts:
1 Sol Ring
Instants:
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Swan Song
1 Arcane Denial
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Negate
Sorceries:
1 Replenish
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Recurring Insight
Creatures:
1 Arbor Elf
1 Argothian Enchantress
1 Femeref Enchantress
1 Herald of the Pantheon
1 Courser of Kruphix
1 Mesa Enchantress
1 Satyr Enchantress
1 Tuvasa the Sunlit
1 Verduran Enchantress
1 Eidolon of Blossoms
1 Heliod, God of the Sun
1 Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Enchantments:
1 Abundant Growth
1 Exploration
1 Mystic Remora
1 Unbridled Growth
1 Urban Burgeoning
1 Utopia Sprawl
1 Wild Growth
1 Darksteel Mutation
1 Fertile Ground
1 Greater Auramancy
1 Search for Azcanta
1 Sterling Grove
1 Sylvan Library
1 Act of Authority
1 Aura of Silence
1 Enchantress's Presence
1 Ever-Watching Threshold
1 Ghostly Prison
1 Gift of Paradise
1 Grasp of Fate
1 Imprisoned in the Moon
1 New Horizons
1 Overgrowth
1 Propaganda
1 Rhystic Study
1 Sheltered Aerie
1 Song of the Dryads
1 Verdant Haven
1 Weirding Wood
1 Words of Wind
1 Abundance
1 Dawn's Reflection
1 Market Festival
1 Future Sight
1 Oath of Teferi
1 Privileged Position
1 Sigil of the Empty Throne
1 Sphere of Safety
1 Starfield of Nyx
1 Treachery
1 Thought Reflection
1 Command Tower
1 Serra's Sanctum
5 Forest
3 Island
3 Plains
1 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Marsh Flats ?
1 Tundra
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Flooded Strand
1 Glacial Fortess
1 Prairie Stream
1 Irrigated Farmland
1 Sea of Clouds
1 Savannah
1 Temple Garden
1 Windswept Heath
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Canopy Vista
1 Scattered Groves
1 Bountiful Promenade
1 Tropical Island
1 Breeding Pool
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Hinterland Harbor
I've been able to play about 2 games a week with Estrid since she came out. I think I have a good collection of ramp, card draw, and removal. I find myself getting to a point where it is hard to close out games. I don't think that is bad really, just something I noticed and was wondering if you had the same issue. Sometimes it is nice to play more control and let the game go longer.
I find myself getting flooded sometimes. I have 36 lands + 14 enchant lands + 1 Arbor Elf. I was thinking of adding Compulsion or Trade Routes to just discard extra lands. It is mana intensive to loot but it is an option.
I like Sacred Mesa and Squirrel Nest. I also like Soul Snare but it isn't really in the category of wincons.
I do like Nissa, Vital Force. I could try that in the superfriends build as well. I'm also glad to see the Sorin go. He doesn't seem all that good in your deck unless you really want the anthem.
I guess you could run Thrummingbird?
Maybe Gyre Sage, but he is weak to the board wipes that seem to be the main issue for this style of deck.
What about Together Forever or As Foretold?
Just brainstorming here...
August 5, 2018:
Removed:
Ajani Steadfast
Sorin, Grim Nemesis
Added:
Tezzeret's Gambit
Will Kenrith
These changes are an attempt to add more card draw. There is a very fine balance to the amount of ramp and card draw we want. We are also trying to use a certain amount of synergy cards as well. Will and Gambit are both useful in PW focused decks and I've been liking their performance so far.
August 31, 2018:
Removed:
Jace, Unraveler of Secrets
Added:
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
This is a very simple change to make. I managed to pick up a Teferi is a trade last night for this deck. He is better than Jace is most situations.