Lux Cannon

[serracollector]

Sometimes, when I am bored, I play t2 on MWS, especially now that t2 isn't just JUND JUND JUND, and is actually quite diverse, and thus (IMO) more fun and interesting.  I saw a proliferate deck that utilized the card Lux Cannon, a rare artifact from SOM with this text:

http://magiccards.info/som/en/173.html

Now mind you the deck mentioned for t2 had Thrummingbird (1/1 flyer, when it deals damage proliferate) and Steady Progress (Instant, 2U, proliferate, cantrip), and a bunch of other cards with counters etc. etc.

Those cards, unfortunately, are not really vintage viable, but contagion clasp, which I have been seeing more and more use of in MUD, is obviously playable, and works well with this.

Also, does the infamous Voltaic Key, allowing you to double counter the Lux Cannon each turn for 1 mana. (or just win with Time Vault....lol?)

What does MUD have that we could compare to Lux Cannon?  How about Smokestack.  Another card which can benefit from Clasp as well obviously.

Whats the difference?

Smokestack is 1 turn faster, unless you have clasp/voltaic key.
Smokestack lets your opponent choose, Lux lets you choose.
Smokestack is a sacrifice, and thus can get Inkwell/DSC, while Lux cannot.

Smokestack can make them sac 2, then 3, etc if you need to clear the board, this would take a while with Lux, but it lets you choose what really needs destroyed, so you wouldn't have needed to ramp smokestack past 1?

Lux can let you instantly destroy one of your own permenents, such as a Orchard Token/Mana Crypt/Critter to remove bridges etc.  Sure there are other scenarios, but you get the idea. 
Lux DOES NOT make you have to sacrifice anything.

Now I am not going to say 1 is better than the other or vice versa.  This is not trying to replace Smokestack at all, but maybe trying to add some spice to old school locks in MUD.

Before Lodestone, it was all about trying to get the Smokestack lock asap, at least in my experiences, and Lux with cards such as Clasp and Voltaic Key, which see use already in different MUD variants, can help achieve that lock faster, and maybe more efficiently since we get to choose what gets destroyed.  Another thing is, this is a very viable answer to trygon.  It only needs to be cast 3 turns before the trygon, AT worst.  Once again we have clasp and key, and maybe other answers to adding counters faster, but not sure if any are t1 viable.

What do you guys think of maybe having 1-4 of these in a deck that also runs 2+ clasp or X number of keys? 

Clasp
Smokestack
Tanglewire
Lux Cannon
Triskelion
Lodestone
Spheres
Mana
Keys/Vault
w/e you add.

Could it be added into something current?  Or would it be a "new" archetype of MUD? 

Discuss, argue, rant. 

[Blue Lotus]

This is way too slow! Its terrible against t2 aggro decks, how could it ever hope to be good in vintage.

[serracollector]

because it can be cast turn 1 in vintage is a start. 

[MaximumCDawg]

You would need to be playing multiple keys to make this good.  Clasp costs too much to charge it up.  So, I suppose it could fit in some sort of combo deck already designed to abuse key; perhaps one using multiple Grim Monoliths?  But, would such a deck be better than traditional Shop?  Would it do something Shop could not do or plug a weakness in shop?

[AmbivalentDuck]

With multiple keys, Time Vault is an obvious inclusion.  Monolith + Key isn't all that compelling.  Key is just a Sol Ring with Monolith out.  Also, Metalworker + Staff of Domination is a two card combo that simply wins.  Metalworker is also a significantly better mana source than Grim Monolith.

Lux Cannon also has friction with shop staples like Tangle Wire.  Smokestack was a permanent that could be tapped by a Wire trigger with no cost to its effectiveness.