Remember back to those early days in your Magical kindergarten, when you used to play with only one deck for an entire season at a time? Before you went through puberty, when you started out your PTQ career with some depressing performances? Before those college years, when you figured out the networking aspect, yet after those toddler years when learning to walk and read were massive tasks? That particular time for me came during Invasion Block Constructed, and Dromar-Go was my deck for that time.
I believe I got the list from a deck Mike Turian played, and then I naturally made some changes, since his version wasn’t nearly as refined as my final version… it ended up with Voice of All and Spectral Lynx, due to the high number of Fires players at my shop.
I think that’s why I love Esper so much. I learned a lot playing that deck, and when the Shards hit the fan, I was painted brown in jubilation. When I first starting building Shards Standard decks, I started with the Artifact-themed Esper deck, but it was clearly lacking enough tools to get there. However, with Conflux uncovered, it might just have enough flow to bring the women to the show to come and mingle, yo.
So, if I was going to make an Artifact deck work, I’d need to know what I’m working with. I usually just sit in front of Magic Online and use its database, but since new electronic sets are always a month behind real life Magic, I’m gonna go with the old fashioned list-by-casting-cost approach.
Zero Mana
Bone Saw
Fountain of Youth
Herbal Poultice
Ornithopter
Sigil of Distinction
Spellbook
Having access to 24 free spells could become useful if anything is printed along the lines of Vedalken Archmage, but other than that, these are too marginal to gain any notable advantage in most games. Sigil is the exception, and is a likely candidate for any potential March of the Machines decks.
One Mana
Chromatic Star
Court Homunculus
Dispeller’s Capsule
Executioner’s Capsule
Heap Doll
Jawbone Skulkin
Leonin Scimitar
Mana Cylix
Pithing Needle
Relic of Progenitus
Runed Stalactite
Sphinx’s Herald
Springleaf Drum
Wanderer’s Twig
There are a lot of solid options here in the one-slot, depending on what type of Artifact deck is on the chopping block. Most of these will be one or two-ofs to be fetched with Tezzeret or Sphinx Summoner. Court Homunculus gives hope for the ambitious aggressive decks, but I think that archetype is a bit lacking right now.
Two Mana
Angel’s Feather
Armillary Sphere
Blight Sickle
Chainbreaker
Cloak and Dagger
Courier’s Capsule
Darklit Gargoyle
Demon’s Horn
Dolmen Gate
Doubling Cube
Dragon’s Claw
Elsewhere Flask
Etherium Sculptor
Ethersworn Canonist
Fang Skulkin
Glaze Fiend
Howling Mine
Kaleidostone
Kraken’s Eye
Leering Emblem
Metallurgeon
Millstone
Mind Stone
Painter’s Servant
Pili-Pala
Puppet Conjurer
Revelsong Horn
Salvage Slasher
Scepter of Fugue
Thorn of Amethyst
Thornbite Staff
Thoughtcutter Agent
Tidehollow Sculler
Tidehollow Strix
Trip Noose
Vedalken Outlander
Veteran’s Armaments
Wurm’s Tooth
The two-drop slot is where all the action is. Etherium Sculptor is the first question you’re going to have to ask yourself whenever you start an Esper deck, and I think he’ll find his way in a few, but the control versions are probably going to include Wrath, so he might not gel correctly.
Mind Stone is a default include in most Esper decks in Constructed.
Tidehollow Sculler is a proven winner, and Scepter of Fugue is an equally potent tool to help dismantle any Faerie or Five-Color Control foes.
A Painter’s Servant combo deck featuring Chaotic Backlash is possible, with several artificial tutors and good card draw framed in a control deck; I don’t see why it couldn’t succeed.
Kaleidostone and Elsewhere Flask are interesting, as they could be potent inclusions for a March of the Machines deck. Replacing themselves is a very useful ability, and with multiple Sculptors out, they turn into free cycling. With Mind Stone in the mix, it forms a pretty soft interaction* draw engine.
One of my initial lure to these colors in this format is their solid options opposite the always popular Red decks. Dragon’s Claw, Vedalken Outlander, and Bottle Gnomes are excellent options to combat the Red menace.
My FNM buddy and rising Grand Prix star Kyle Larson made a pretty unique Artifact control deck a few weeks ago that included Tezzeret along with a large toolbox containing a host of mechanical mood setters. When I was playing around with the deck at FNM, I found Trip Noose was a legitimate spell to cast in this format. It encourages and forces opponents to overextend, which could lead to a more devastating board sweeper. It’s also a good way to defend both Tezzeret and your dome.
Glaze Fiend is another question that demands an answer in the air. Tarmogoyf aside, I’d rather hand over my manhood than play with a two-mana 0/1. This is the kind of card that needs another card to make it work. An interaction that returns Artifacts to your hand for free, or a way to draw your deck… just something to enable a combo. Perhaps those 24 free spells and Ad Nauseam? Fourth turn kill? Bleh, then you’re stuck with a ton of bad cards if they have a Mogg Fanatic.
Three Mana
Bottle Gnomes
Colfenor’s Urn
Crucible of Worlds
Diviner’s Wanderer’s
Esper Battlemage
Esperzoa
Etherium Astrolabe
Hoof Skulkin
Loxodon Warhammer
Lurebound Scarecrow
Marble Chalice
Master of Etherium
Moonglove Extract
Obelisk of Bant
Obelisk of Esper
Obelisk of Grixis
Obelisk of Jund
Obelisk of Naya
Obsidian Battle-Axe
Onyx Goblet
Parasitic Strix
Phyrexian Vault
Protomatter Powder
Quietus Spike
Rings of Brighthearth
Scarecrone
Scepter of Dominance
Scepter of Insight
Sculpting Steel
Scuttlemutt
Skill Borrower
Steel Golem
Tatterkite
Thousand-Year Elixir
Umbral Mantle
Vectis Silencers
Whispersilk Cloak
Windwright Mage
Wingrattle Scarecrow
Rings of Brighthearth was one of the key pieces to Larson’s Standard Tezzeret deck, enabling far more devastating plays in conjunction with a multitude of activations. Marble Chalice is a potential option as well, especially since once Tezzeret is in play you’ll have a way to make use of his untap ability that often does nothing.
Windwright Mage is a bit too small to see play. Master of Etherium is an exciting one, since he could fit into a midrange, aggro, or even the March deck. Awesome design on this interaction… however, its worth is equal to the amount of permanents you’ve slapped into play, which isn’t my type of game. For him to be at his best, you’d have few cards in the grip to maintain the overextended board state, but it doesn’t much matter if you’re attacking with a team of 3/3 Kaleidostones, Elswhere Flasks, and Mind Stones.
Scarecrone was interesting for a minute, but all the good crows must have been scared away. Sculpting Steel is worth a big mention, and is most desirable when used to copy an Artifact with a mana cost greater than three. There aren’t any really great targets in the list yet, so I’ll jab in a few points about it down the line.
I really want to play with a singleton Protomatter Powder to provide a soft lock with Sharuum the Hegemon somewhere.
Moonglove Extract might be colorless’s best removal spell, even if it is a bit pricey for the purchase. The Scepters are keystones in whatever Artifact-heavy control deck pops up, and they are great additions to the March deck I’ve been emphasizing. After taking a step back and taking in all the Artifacts, it appears as though they are best suited for a midrange control deck, in which these will likely play valuable roles. I mentioned how good Trip Noose was, and Scepter of Dominance is a strict upgrade, assuming there are no mana constraints.
Esperzoa is a nice utility card, but I don’t see it as a center-point of a deck, since its output is far too inconsistent to be relied on. In the March deck, already containing Flasks and Stones, it could be a nice addition.
Parasitic Strix is much like Esperzoa, in that it takes some work and a bit of luck to get something out of it, but again, it could make a splashy showing. Any creature with a comes-into-play ability and two power has to be looked at when considering Reveillark options, and there have been worse than this guy.
Four Mana
Chimeric Staff
Cumber Stone
Deathrender
Door of Destinies
Esper Cormorants
Faerie Mechanist
Filigree Sages
Font of Mythos
Gnarled Effigy
Icy Manipulator
Immortal Coil
Jayemdae Tome
Juggernaut
Lockjaw Snapper
Master Transmuter
Manaforce Mace
Mindlock Orb
Rod of Ruin
Sanctum Gargoyle
Scrapbasket
Scornful Aether-Lich
Sludge Strider
Shell Skulkin
Tower Gargoyle
Twinning Glass
Watchwing Scarecrow
Cumber Stone is an anti-Fae tactic that isn’t really being discussed. It’s a great response to a turn 2 Bitterblossom after accelerating with a Sculptor or Mind Stone on turn 3. However, I’m always a touch wary of expensive permanents, since they give Cryptic Command better Counter / Bounce targets.
Icy Manipulator was a key defense point in Larson’s Tezzeret control deck, but I’m not sure if the Icy Scepter is going to be a problem on the mana yet. If it is, I’ll probably end up running some mix of the two, but if not, the Scepter will be a strict upgrade. The mana cost on this can also be very important in a March deck.
Sludge Strider is an interesting one, but too fragile and cumbersome to make any non-Block-Constructed appearance.
Sanctum Gargoyle has a desirable ability, and is another two-power creature that has to be re looked at with the introduction of so many influential artifacts, but it doesn’t do the same things as Protomatter Powder or Sharuum. However, it is a fine upgrade from Treasure Hunter.
Immortal Coil is another card that makes me think. It’s a pretty unique card and effect, and could be a sleeper. It provides a built-in defense that few other interaction advantage engines have, but one that could be difficult to sustain.
Master Transmuter is another one of those pieces that could completely blow up. The important thing is that if they don’t deal with him the turn you play him, they will probably lose the game. He comes with a built in way protect himself, and has a host of juicy targets that I wouldn’t mind having in play at the end of my opponent’s turn.
Five Mana
Antler Skulkin
Blazehorn Scarecrow
Cauldron of Souls
Citanul Flute
Cloudheath Drake
Coat of Arms
Ethersworn Adjudicator
Illuminated Folio
Lich’s Mirror
Mantis Engine
Minion Reflector
Razormane Masticore
Scourglass
Sphinx Summoner
The Hive
Wicker Warcrawler
Ethersworn Adjudicator is a massive beast, and the backbone brawler for whatever Artifact deck that’s in construction. This guy is gonna be pretty big. He makes a great addition to Five-Color Control decks, but can be even more impacting in a deck that can accelerate to him, or recur him on the next turn with a Sharuum if he’s killed.
Razormane Masticore remains a decent option, but I think there are more exciting artificial things on which to spend mana. Scourglass is the single most powerful effect in Standard… according to some guy from the forums last week, at least. It’s a very strong, tutorable, one-sided board sweeper that could turn a game around very quickly, if it wasn’t for the “only during your upkeep” clause. Even with it, you can use Master Transmuter to sneak it into play before blowing it up during your upkeep.
Sphinx Summoner was my real motivation in leaning towards colorless permanents. Fabricate saw a reasonable amount of play upon its inception in Mirrodin, and with Sphinx you’ll get a 3/3 flier for only 1B more. That’s quite the bargain, and he can be thrust into play as early as turn 3, creating the elusive Summoner, Adjudicator, Sharuum curve. More important is the toolbox that surrounds him, which was one of my driving factors to creating this list. This is my favorite target for Sculpting Steel, since it could realistically reduce its cost to two or one with Sculptors out. Any Artifact is up for contention when there are two quality artifact-fetchers available. [Sadly, it’s only Articfact Creatures it can fetch… another victim of the spoiler error – Craig.]
Six Mana
Composite Golem
Obelisk of Alara
Rattleblaze Scarecrow
Salvage Titan
Sharding Sphinx
Sharuum the Hegemon
Steelclad Serpent
Thornwatch Scarecrow
Ward of Bones
Obelisk of Alara should make an appearance somewhere, but this isn’t the spot. Sharuum is perhaps the most powerful Artifact in Standard, since it’s likely your route to victory while being an excellent utility card and great top critter in the curve, and you’ll likely have a desirable target by the time he comes down. Imagine chumping with Sphinx Summoner and re-buying him with this guy the next turn. Turns 4 to 7 are big action turns, mainly because of the open-ended possibilities with Sharuum, Sphinx, and Tezzeret. Sharuum plus Sculpting Steel isn’t the best usage, but if you have a second Sharuum or Sculpting Steel in the yard, it won’t turn out so bad.
Seven Mana
Altar Golem
Grim Poppet
Legacy Weapon
Magister Sphinx
Platinum Angel
If a Five-Color artifact deck made an appearance, Legacy Weapon would be a top notch contender.
Magister Sphinx is another desirable one-of that could bring you back into a game in which you have no business playing. For a start, it save you from a top-decked burn spell when low on life… and say you find a way to discard it early, only to return it to play on turn 5 with Sharuum. Suddenly they are facing down ten power of flying monsters, and Magister conveniently put them to ten life. And that’s not even considering the Transmuter options…
Eight Mana
Vomit.
Nine Mana
Colossus of Sardia
Inkwell Leviathan
Inkwell is interesting, but I doubt it will need to come to that. Sadly, these are the biggest targets for Transmuter, but I suspect he will be better off with Sharuum, Magister, and Summoner as the good creatures.
Ten Mana
Bleh.
That’s every artifact you could possibly hope to play with in Standard, but there is another group of potential cards I’d like to talk about. A silent and promiscuous group, it is known only by the letter X.
Group X
March of the Machines
Tezzeret the Seeker
March and Tezzeret are the two best centerpieces for whatever Artifact deck you’re looking to construct. However, I don’t feel that the two can be intermingled. I’m still working on some lists, but it appears as though you’d either rather have the quick combo-like win from March, or the slow controlled game of Tezzeret. The game plans of the two require a different set of Artifacts, which makes deck construction a little more trying than you’d expect.
I’m in the process of testing a lot of the potential decks I’ve talked about, and I will have some refined lists for next week!
Thanks for reading…
Kyle
…
Top 5 Picks
1) My Life Would Suck Without You — Kelly Clarkston
2) Just Dance — Lady GaGag featuring Colby O’Donnis
3) Single Ladies – Beyonce
4) Heartless — Kanye West
5) Love Story — Taylor Swift
* I’m not sure what Zac’s theory really accomplishes, other than seeing him replace all instances of “card” with “interaction.” But then again, intense Magic theory isn’t my cup of tea. I like to keep things simple rather than delving into heady concepts.