{"ops":[{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Myr Plating — Constructed Affinity"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"One card decides most games, and it is a two-mana Equipment with no abilities of its own worth reading twice."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"[[Cranial Plating]] gives the equipped creature +1/+0 "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"for each artifact you control"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — lands included. On a board of fifteen artifacts it is +15/+0, and this deck's job is to strap that onto something that cannot be blocked. That is the whole difference between this list and its Pauper sibling: Plating is banned in Pauper, as are [[Steel Overseer]] and [[Dispatch]]. Same manabase, same free bodies, entirely different top end."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Not Modern-legal."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Ancient Den]], [[Seat of the Synod]], [[Great Furnace]] and [[Vault of Whispers]] are "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","italic":true},"insert":"banned"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" in Modern — they have been since the format began. Only [[Darksteel Citadel]] survives the ban. This is a Legacy and casual list, and the Modern Affinity decks it is modelled on run four Mutavault-style lands instead."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Game plan"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Turn 1 — deploy, don't hold."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Ornithopter]] costs nothing, [[Welding Jar]] costs nothing, [[Signal Pest]] and [[Springleaf Drum]] cost one. Every one of them is a permanent that makes the rest of your hand cheaper. There is no such thing as a wasted turn-one artifact here."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Turn 2 — a threat or the engine."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Steel Overseer]] if the game will go long; [[Cranial Plating]] if it will not. [[Vault Skirge]] is the best two-drop you can make on turn one, since its "},{"attributes":{"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{B/P}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" can be paid with two life."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Turn 2–3 — the discount lands."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" With four or five artifacts out, [[Frogmite]] is free and [[Myr Enforcer]] is a mana or two. Deploy first, then refuel with [[Thoughtcast]], which is usually "},{"attributes":{"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{U}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" for two cards."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Turn 3–4 — equip and swing."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" Put [[Cranial Plating]] on a flier. This is the kill: an [[Ornithopter]] with Plating on a normal board is a 12-power evasive attacker, and [[Signal Pest]] can only be blocked by flying or reach."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Clear the one blocker that matters."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Dispatch]] exiles it for "},{"attributes":{"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{W}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":". You will essentially always have metalcraft."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Opening hands"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Keep two lands and two cheap artifacts. The deck genuinely functions on two lands, so hands that look light are usually fine. What you cannot keep is expensive cards with no turn-one play — the discounts only exist once a board exists. A hand with [[Springleaf Drum]] and [[Seat of the Synod]] beats a hand with four lands and no artifact. [[Cranial Plating]] with no creature is not a keep on its own."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Important interactions"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Cranial Plating]]'s instant-speed attach is "},{"attributes":{"bold":true,"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{B}{B}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":", and this deck cannot pay it."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Vault of Whispers]] is your only black source. You get Equip "},{"attributes":{"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{1}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" at sorcery speed and nothing else — so decide "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","italic":true},"insert":"before"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" combat which creature carries it."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Affinity counts artifacts you control, and lands are artifacts."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Ancient Den]], [[Seat of the Synod]], [[Darksteel Citadel]], [[Great Furnace]] and [[Vault of Whispers]] all count for affinity, for metalcraft, and for Plating's bonus."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Blinkmoth Nexus]] is the exception — it is a Land, not an Artifact Land."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" It does "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","italic":true},"insert":"not"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" count toward affinity, metalcraft or Plating until you pay "},{"attributes":{"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{1}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" to animate it. Once animated it is a 1/1 flying artifact creature and a fine Plating carrier that dodges sorcery-speed removal."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Great Furnace]] and [[Vault of Whispers]] make colours this deck never uses."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" They are in the list because an artifact land producing a dead colour is still a free artifact."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"White and blue do not compete."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Ancient Den]] and [[Seat of the Synod]] are different lands, so playing both [[Dispatch]] and [[Thoughtcast]] costs nothing over playing either alone. Each has about a 68% chance of being castable by turn three — low, and the price of an all-artifact manabase."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Springleaf Drum]] taps a creature as a cost, not as that creature's own ability"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":", so a creature that entered this turn can still be tapped for mana. [[Ornithopter]] is the ideal Drum fodder."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Steel Overseer]]'s ability uses "},{"attributes":{"bold":true,"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{T}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":", so it cannot activate the turn it lands, and it only ever counters "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","italic":true},"insert":"artifact"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" creatures."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Signal Pest]]'s battle cry pumps each "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"other"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":" attacking creature, never itself."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" It is a 0/1 — its job is to be unblockable and to make everything else bigger."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Dispatch]] without metalcraft only taps."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" Three artifacts turns it into exile; check before you cast it as removal."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Welding Jar]] regenerates, which does not stop exile, sacrifice or −X/−X."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" It answers destruction, and it is a free artifact even when you never use it."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Matchups"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Artifact hate."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" Your genuinely bad matchup, and it is not close. A single Stony Silence or Shatterstorm effect ends the game — [[Darksteel Citadel]] being indestructible is the only part of your manabase that survives a sweeper."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Creature midrange."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" Favoured. They block the ground; you fly over with [[Ornithopter]] and [[Vault Skirge]] and exile the one relevant blocker with [[Dispatch]]."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Fast aggro and burn."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" Close races. [[Vault Skirge]]'s lifelink is the swing card, and remember its Phyrexian cost charges you two life on the way in."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Control and counterspells."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" Better than it looks. Your threats are so cheap that you rebuild faster than they answer, and [[Thoughtcast]] refills for one mana."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Sweeper decks."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" Bad, for the usual reason — you commit everything. [[Welding Jar]] covers destruction only, so play around the wrath rather than through it."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Sideboard guide"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"4 [[Apostle's Blessing]]"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — the most flexible card you own for this deck. Protection from a colour saves a creature from removal "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","italic":true},"insert":"or"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" makes it unblockable for a turn, which is how you finish through a wall of blockers. Phyrexian mana means two life instead of "},{"attributes":{"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{W}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":", so it is always castable."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"3 [[Chief of the Foundry]]"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — an anthem for the grindy games. It pumps "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","italic":true},"insert":"other"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" artifact creatures, not itself, and it turns your eight zero-power bodies into real attackers when [[Cranial Plating]] never shows up."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"3 [[Pithing Needle]]"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — against activated abilities: planeswalkers, equipment, manlands."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"2 [[Perilous Myr]]"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — against decks of small creatures. Two damage on death trades up."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"2 [[Tormod's Crypt]]"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — graveyard hate that is also a free artifact, so it costs the deck nothing to run."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"1 [[Welding Jar]]"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — the fourth copy, for grindier games with more targeted removal."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Deliberately absent."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" Damping Sphere is in the collection and stays out: \"each spell costs "},{"attributes":{"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{1}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" more for each other spell cast this turn\" punishes a deck that casts three spells a turn far more than it punishes anyone else. Genesis Chamber is out because it gives the token to "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","italic":true},"insert":"that creature's controller"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — it arms the opponent too. Myrsmith is out because it is a Human Artificer, not an artifact, so it feeds neither affinity nor Plating. Tempered Steel is out because "},{"attributes":{"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{1}{W}{W}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" is not castable off four white sources."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Upgrade notes"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"There are none worth making, and that is the finding rather than an omission."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" This list kills on turn three in about 41% of games, and it is the fastest configuration the deck has. Affinity is built out of free artifacts, so any card you add has to take its slot from [[Welding Jar]] or [[Frogmite]] — the two cards that cost nothing and still count toward affinity, metalcraft and [[Cranial Plating]]. Every candidate tested made the deck slower:"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Etched Champion]]"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" costs about nine points of turn-three speed. Protection from every colour is real — unblockable by coloured creatures, untargetable by coloured removal, and Cranial Plating is colourless so it can still be equipped onto it — but it is blank against colourless blockers, and it is not free."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Memnite]]"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" is the only card that speeds the deck up, and only because it costs "},{"attributes":{"color":"#8c8c8c","background":"#262626","code":true},"insert":"{0}"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":". It buys about six points of turn-three kills at the price of a removal spell."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"[[Arcbound Ravager]]"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" is the best card in this archetype elsewhere and is wrong here. Its sacrifice ability is not a synergy with Cranial Plating: each artifact you eat gives Ravager +1/+1 but costs Plating −1/+0, so with Plating equipped the activation is exactly power-neutral. What it buys is resilience against removal and sweepers, which is genuine and does not show up as speed."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"}]}