Artifact and Blue

[Apprentice]

This is a casual deck that I play with my friends. It has alot of synergy with itself, and some of the weird card choces work out due to the other cards in the deck. It started off as a Burning Bridges type deck, but I just took out red to add blue. The first Kill tech was good ol' Kaervek's Torch, but now I am using substandard beats.

This deck is casual because I don't have the cards to turn it insto something tournament worthy. I will try to make it as good as possible with the cards that I have, though, so suggest everything.

FIRST INCARNATION:

Lands (17):

7 Mountain
2 Urza's Mine
2 Urza's Powerplant
2 Urza's Tower
2 Forgotten Cave
1 Ancient Tomb
R Strip Mine

Mana Artifacts (15):

4 Helm of Awakening
2 Sisay's Ring
3 Thran Dynamo
2 Basalt Monolith
1 Metal Worker
R Sol Ring
R Grim Monolith
R Mana Vault
R Lotus Petal

The Tech (18):

4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Smokestack
1 Snakebasket
1 Grafted Skullcap
1 Sands of Time
1 Defense Grid
1 Null Brooch
1 Planar Portal
1 Kyren Archive
R Voltaic Key
R Black Vise
R Memory Jar
R Wheel of Fortune

The Kill (3):
4 Kaervek's Torch
2 Ghitu Fire
1 Aladdin's Ring

As you can see the deck is full of jank and substandard cards. I decided to try and make it more broken by removing red alltogether. Blue was added.

Some notes on original deckist:

I do have Tinker, no Academy, no Welders (believe me that if I did they would be in here already), 4 Wasteland, 1 Juggy, 1 Trike, 2 Mastiwhore :p (although I don't really see how creatures will do well with 4 Bridges). 4 of each Urza's Lands is what I originally had but my playtester insisted on cutting 2 of each, but I think he was wrong. 4 of each are going in. No more Ancient Tomb or City of Traitors, no Mana Crypt, I do have many Worn Powerstones but I do think that Sisays Ring is better in this case due to the Helms. 1 Junk Diver, 1 Karn. No Covetous Dragon, sadly...

NEW DECKLIST:

Lands (20):

6 Island
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Powerplant
4 Urza's Tower
1 Ancient Tomb
R Strip Mine

Mana Artifacts (15):

4 Helm of Awakening
2 Sisay's Ring
3 Thran Dynamo
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Metal Worker
R Sol Ring
R Grim Monolith
R Mana Vault
R Lotus Petal

The Tech (18):

4 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Snakebasket
1 Grafted Skullcap
1 Sands of Time
1 Null Brooch
1 Planar Portal
R Voltaic Key
R Memory Jar

The Beats (8):

1 Karn
1 Juggernaut
2 Masticore
2 Triskelion
2 Extruder

Blue (5):

R Tinker
R Brain Geyser
R Stroke of Genious
2 Propaganda

This is 59 total. I know this deck can get better so give me some suggestions.

Card explainations (some need it):

Helms are used as fuel. Play them when you draw them and try to gold fish your hand. They use a big draw spell to wash rinse and repeat. Helm is good with the mana artifacts and Bridge, and the fatties, too.

Bridge + Fatties: I can usually manipulate the board so I don't end up screwing myself.  I may draw cards for my turn and then play them all after I attack. Or I can animate the Bridges with Karn. Or I can sact the Bridges to Extruder for the win. The bridge is there to curb initial waves of creatures and then to mantain board control in late game.

Sub-par creature picks: I only have 2 'Cores, 1 Juggy, 1 Karn, 2 Trikes and no other good beats. I have to substitute with Extruder.

Do you think I should run 2 Trikes with no Welder? They are good utility and can beat, but there may be a better solution becauase they are weakened by the inability to recur.

Thanks.

-Apprentice

[Apprentice]

Trike actually works out really well in this deck, Extruder feeds it quite nicely. Trike+Extruder=no more weenies for a while.

I also added Mystical Tutor because it effectively adds one more Braingeyser, Stroke of genius and Tinker.

Its sorta sad that I have posted two decks on the most popular and sophisticated magic forum and only gotten a total of 3 responses...

-Apprentice

[mikez0r]

I don't like your mana base, those Urza's lands aren't reliable.

Add 3 metal workers for sure.

Think about adding Stone Calendar. It's kind of cool with Helms.

Staff Of Domination has very good synergy with metal workers so that might be something you could add.

Do you find that smokestack is helpful? Usually people use smokestack with Crucible Of Worlds so that they sac their land to smokestack then replay it.

If you want I could post a version of a deck with similar cards.

[Apprentice]

Unfortuately you suggested all cards that I don't have. I will indeed try to find more Metalworkers and subsiquently the Staff (could get REAL good with worker). What do specifically think about the Urza's lands? So far they work out fine, but again, I'm not playing in a t-1 environment by any means.

Please show me this decklist, any info I can get would be greatly appreciated.

-Apprentice

[mikez0r]

This is a casual deck of mine, not really budget since it has MWS. This probably isn't what you are looking for, but it shares some of the same cards.

//29 Mana Base (8 lands)
4 Mishra's Workshop
4 Tiaga
4 Metal Worker
4 Land Grant
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Tinder Wall
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault
1 Grim Monolith

//3 Draw Engine
3 Grafted Skullcap

//3 Combo
3 Staff Of Domination
 
//3 Kill Condition
3 Goblin Charbelcher

//4 Creature Disruption
4 Ensnaring Bridge

//17 General Disruption
3 Null Brooch
4 Trinisphere
4 Chalice of the Void
2 Jester's Cap
4 Naturalize

//1 Don't deck myself
1 Soldevi Digger

-Total = 60

[Apprentice]

How often do you use LED? What times do you use it?

And also, do you think I need Soldevi Digger? I haven't decked myself yet, but it may be a problem in long games.

-Apprentice

[mikez0r]

LED works well with Grafted Skullcap or Null Brooch, I mean if you are going to discard your hand anyways what does it matter if you do it to LED or skullcap or brooch. LED could be used to activate a belcher or even a brooch.

I don't have the exact decklist of what I have at home (I'm at work, so I just typed up whatever I thought was in it).

I think I had 4 skullcaps, and there were times when I had ensnaring bridge out with 4 skullcaps and I couldn't kill my opponent so I ended up decking myself. I think it's safe to play without the digger.

[Apprentice]

I will give LED a thought.

Is there any other blue utility that you would use?

-Apprentice