July Deckbuilding Contest

{"ops":[{"insert":"I originally built a version of this deck on a dare. Overtime, this has become the funnest deck I own and has transformed me into a Johnny player.\n\n"},{"insert":{"image":"https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/915819321261981746/1095609254368509972/Captain_Ripley_Vance_Ellen_Louise_Ripley.png?ex=668d8d61&is=668c3be1&hm=032f90d0978346a3f7e852c75fdcdc3f7ee46055218db6307f9e6cf233a21aa9&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=352&height=493"}},{"insert":"\n\nI went for Ruby Storm/Mono Red Aggro. Unlike most red commanders, our beloved Ripley does not put the game on a timer like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Purphoros, God of the Forge"}},{"insert":". This gives us valuable time to set up without being a target. Besides, who could possibly feel threatened by mono red at a commander table?\n\nThis deck really only has two modes: \"poke the bear\" & \"mess around and find out.\" With Ripley's single target removal, we have an easy way of removing creature threats. We don't have much in the way of defense, so politics is key. It's important not to burn through our resources too fast. Usually, it's better to cast three spells and pass than to curve out and keep an eye out to trigger "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Captain Ripley Vance"}},{"insert":" at instant speed. Ultimately, this deck plays more like control than burn. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"It's All Combos Here Baby"},{"insert":"\n\nWe have a second "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ruby Medallion"}},{"insert":" in "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Helm of Awakening"}},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Crackling Spellslinger"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spreading Insurrection"}},{"insert":" are some extra storm finishers. But we also have the classic "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Grapeshot"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Galvanic Relay"}},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dualcaster Mage"}},{"insert":" can copy "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Molten Duplication"}},{"insert":" into a splinter twin combo."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Birgi, God of Storytelling // Harnfel, Horn of Bounty"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Runaway Steam-Kin"}},{"insert":" are definitely the all-stars. But we have lots of other mana generators as backup."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Grinning Ignus"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sunbird's Invocation"}},{"insert":" can play every 3cc and less card in your deck with just a tiny bit of help."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bonus Round"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Underworld Breach"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Past in Flames"}},{"insert":", & "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Urabrask // The Great Work"}},{"insert":" make for some huge turns with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Slickshot Show-Off"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Livaan, Cultist of Tiamat"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aetherflux Reservoir"}},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Toralf, God of Fury // Toralf's Hammer"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chandra's Incinerator"}},{"insert":" can ping-pong a creature heavy board into the next game."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brash Taunter"}},{"insert":" provides us a valuable politics piece while being a finisher with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blasphemous Act"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chandra's Ignition"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Arcbond"}},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Name a funner card than "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wand of Wonder"}},{"insert":" . We get to instant speed play our opponents cards and roll dice every turn. And feed "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Captain Ripley Vance"}},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Same goes for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mindclaw Shaman"}},{"insert":" . Even though we pick wrong every game, you just know the other players are waiting for the game to end so they can show you what an insane opportunity you missed."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Guildless Commons"}},{"insert":" can bounced our exerted "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Arena of Glory"}},{"insert":", or a flip-land to hand."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Liquimetal Torque"}},{"insert":" is a \"must have\" in any mono red deck as a tool for removing enchantments."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fists of Flame"}},{"insert":" copied 5 times will win you the game but be careful how you stack the triggers to get maximum "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Captain Ripley Vance"}},{"insert":" value."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vedalken Orrery"}},{"insert":" alone practically turns this into a blue deck."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n\nThis deck is so crazy fun. It's skill intensive, interactive, and fun the watch. At the end of the day, are you really even playing magic if you aren't running "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lightning Bolt"}},{"insert":"?\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8315907/whos_makin_these_eggs "},"insert":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8315907/whos_makin_these_eggs "},{"insert":"\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"First, I love artifacts. Second, I love cheating things into play (and then grinding them into \"value\"). Third, I love arbitrary deckbuilding constraints! This month's competition submission hits all the marks: \n\nThe deck is based off the competitive Pauper deck, "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=57076&d=625861&f=PAU"},"insert":"Grixis Affinity"},{"insert":", and should stay thematically similar (artifact affinity, ETB/LTB pinging, sacking artifacts for value (thanks Mishra!) some discard but not too mean, etc)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The 99 must include all of the pauper deck cards"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The 99 must adhere to both Commander AND Pauper legality"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The deck must be Grixis color identity"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThis was fun to pull together and I hope you all enjoy the submission for July 2024! \n\nDeck Submission: "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8324790/archidekt_deckbuilding_contest_july_2024"},"insert":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8324790/archidekt_deckbuilding_contest_july_2024"},{"insert":"\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"My submission is: "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8301431/phenax_lantern_control"},"insert":"Phenax Lantern Control"},{"insert":" which is inspired by the infamous "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lantern of Insight"}},{"insert":" deck from Modern, it is the closest we have to playing magic in a completely different way, and I thought it would be alot of fun to try and build in the EDH format, it uses small creatures in combination with our commander's ability to always have enough mill for our opponents top decks, hope you guys enjoy :D\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"For my submission I went with the good ol lantern control from modern this deck whole focus is to slow down the table and stall out the table while getting small advantages. I've built this deck a couple months ago just trying to find the best commander for lantern control before this it was circu, dimir lobotomist but when the fallout set released from the get go I knew this would be the perfect commander for it since he gives you value for each mill you're getting off while ensuring the mill himself.Note in commander lantern control is a much harder strategy then in 60 card formats but when you finally lock your opponents it has the same feeling as in modern knowing your oponent can never recover. Now of course modern control didn't have any wincons but in commander you have to have some kind of wincon so I did add some mill based combos plus thing like blood chief ascension, sheoldred, syr Conrad and murktide regent (note every time u use Raul's ability he grows) just to fasten things up so my friends don't have to suffer for 5 hours while I slowly mill a card per turn.also for the ultimate lock I added unwinding clock for all my mill pieces to untap during each opponents untap so I know for each one I can seperetaly mill them until I'm satisfied what they have on top while also giving myself card advantage with Raul's second ability. Enjoy.\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8091780/lantern_control_20"},"insert":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8091780/lantern_control_20"},{"insert":"\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"First submission in this contest, hope you like the deck!\n\nOther than commander, the format I played the most is Legacy. While i dabbled in Storm, the deck i played 99% of the time was "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Death and Taxes"},{"insert":". Classically the deck is mono white and plays hatebears and meddles with the opponent's mana. Over the years I played both Orzhov and Boros homebrews of the deck, since i found mono white not as interesting after hundreds of games. For my submission I went therefore with a combined version: "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8322102/mardu_death_and_taxes"},"insert":"Mardu Death and Taxes"},{"insert":"\n\nI included most of the classic elements of the deck, but some I have purposely avoided:\nBlood Moon effects (namely Magus of the Moon) are extremely unfun in commander and hurt my own mana base in the three color version"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The Stoneforge package is simply bad when you dont have the namesake card and in a singleton format that is too infrequent"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Some effects like Spirit of the Labyrinth are counterproductive with Tymna"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Flickerwisp, while iconic to the deck is a lot worse without consistent Aether Vial access"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Rishadan Port, also iconic but doesn't scale at all into commander"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Karakas for obvious reasons"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Fast Mana, it would make the deck better (i had a hatebears commander deck with Tymna in the command zone and getting out fast is so good) but it would be against the spirit of the deck"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"ABU duals and other RL cards for availability reasons"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nI also added some untraditional (to Death and Taxes) elements, simply because commander has a very different dynamic than Legacy\nA top end to the mana curve"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Some Recursion"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Some evasive attackers to maximise Tymna's proc"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"A board wipe in case you fall behind"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Alexios and Slicer because you dont have to kill your opponents if they are killing each other with your creatures"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"Introducing: "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8273578/60_to_100_stiflenought"},"insert":"Vannifar's Hidden Stiflenoughts"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Dreadnought"}},{"insert":" is a card I've loved since I started playing Magic, and legacy/premodern Stiflenought is a creative way to leverage it's huge body super early, so here's my take, with the goal of taking as many Noughts (undercosted big ol beaters with weird/negative etbs) and skirting around their restrictions with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stifle"}},{"insert":"s, or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vannifar, Evolved Enigma"}},{"insert":"'s Cloak ability to get them on the battlefield and flipped up for much cheaper. \n\nIdeally, we can slowly build a hidden board of all kinds of face down creatures, flip up just one or two of our Noughts ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Eater of Days"}},{"insert":"), then xerox them to every other body with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Augmenter Pugilist // Echoing Equation"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nanogene Conversion"}},{"insert":", or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sakashima's Will"}},{"insert":". Some additional tech includes ways to manifest/cloak cards from hand/library ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cryptic Coat"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Whisperwood Elemental"}},{"insert":"), evoke bodies that don't mind the more typical Vannifar blink tools ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cloudthresher"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nulldrifter"}},{"insert":" ), and ways to find our namesake ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Urza's Saga"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Trinket Mage"}},{"insert":").\n\nThis Simic engine doesn't spit value or take a ton of game actions, it's here to whack some fools with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leveler"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sky Swallower"}},{"insert":"s! \n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8098552/sokrates\n\nThis is my Sokrates, Athenian Teacher Deck. No one on socials seems to be building this, I love Philosophy and Sokrates, so I had to do it. I feel like I willed this card into existence since the first moment I started playing magic last year. \n\nThe idea of this deck is to control what and when damage is dealt to you through Sokrates's ability and draw lots of cards, backed up with some untap abilities to keep him hexproof. But we can keep things civil by also preventing damage by your own un-blockable creatures and having your opponents draw cards, while also gaining the benefits of attack triggers. Additional draw spells and several draw payoffs like Psychosis Crawler, Chasm Skulker, Wizard Class, and Archmage Ascension will make tapping Sokrates fun and valuable. Build up a board state of additional token creatures, while your oppenents dwindle in health then swing in with Moonshaker to finish the game.\n\nThere are some flavorful additions as well with some nods to Socratic dialogues. Plato's Euthyphro shown with the Pious Wayfarer, Plato's Apology shown with Plea for Power, some counter spells like Negate where we look to refute an opponents arguments, while a couple copy spells will allow us to use our opponents arguments... I mean creatures against them. \n\nThis deck has been such a pleasure to craft, and I hope to build it with real cards soon.\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"Good Evening Y'all! It's your friendly Neighborhood Dork back again with another decklist! As soon as I saw the prompt, I immediately knew which deck I wanted to translate from 60 cards to 100 - Mono Red! Now you might be asking yourselves, \"Dork, which brew of Mono Red!\" is it Patrick Chapin's iconic Dragonstorm brew from Worlds 2007? Or possibly John Larkin's Mono Red Devotion Deck from Pro Tour: Theros? Or maybe even Ramunap Red by Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa during Pro Tour Hour of Devastation? My answer to this? Yes. The deck I present to you today is less inspired by one single mono red list, and rather inspired by the spirit of mono red featuring some of the most iconic cards in competitive Magic's history. \n\nFor context, a majority of these decks I either would watch highlights of or catch live on YouTube growing up. Mono red has always been a deck synonymous with me - my competitive debut was at a PTTQ for Magic Origins playing Mono Red Goblins. I use the phrase \"Mythic is Red for a Reason\" when grinding standard as for the entire lifespan of the client, I've only played mono red to make Mythic. \n\nI brewed this deck so players could look back on the history of the archetype, and reflect on cards they remember seeing in various Mono Red lists through the course of Magics history. I tried to only use either the original printings of the cards during their dominant reign in formats, or World Championship edition versions to highlight the pros who cast them into the spotlight. It's like a time capsule - watching the inevitable power creep of Jackal Pup to Ragavan; the many different ways to bolt a bird; or running too few lands and yet somehow managing to never get completely locked out of a game. \n\nWin or Lose, I hope that this deck was able to Ignite Memories for you all, and if so, I'd love to hear what Mono Red Decks were running rampant around y'alls time :3! \n\n\nedit: yes, Goblin Good is a reference to Mandy - a movie that has a LOT of VERY vibrant red lighting and fire effects as well :))\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8272481/red_deck_wins_the_history_of_mono_red"},"insert":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8272481/red_deck_wins_the_history_of_mono_red"},{"insert":"\n\n\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"I love me some pauper, so I built \"Rakdos Madness\" in commander! Now, many decks contain a small splash of blue, so I went with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Saruman, the White Hand"}},{"insert":" as my commander, because not only does he synergize with casting cards for less than they actually cost via madness making bigger armies for less, but he also spreads a little madness himself throughout the LOTR world. Flavor and function is a win for me. I included some of the decks staples such as"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Voldaren Epicure"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kitchen Imp"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Alms of the Vein"}},{"insert":". Madness and discard synergies will be the backbone of this deck, and the additional control, draw and discard outlets will keep the deck churning cards in and out of your hand. The best part? I kept it budget friendly like pauper at ~55$! Check it out! "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8271807/madness_in_the_realm_sarumanmadness"},"insert":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8271807/madness_in_the_realm_sarumanmadness"},{"insert":"\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"My "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/54109/teeg_slide?sort=cmc&stack=multiple"},"insert":"Teeg Slide"},{"insert":" deck is an homage to the "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Extended_Astral_Slide_deck"},"insert":"green-white astral slide"},{"insert":" deck in the long-dead extended format. It runs the same blink engine, the "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Life from the Loam"}},{"insert":" cycling engine, and has the same plan to lock the game out with recursion and lock pieces - also share a ton of utility cycling cards with the original, such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Angelsong"}},{"insert":".\n\nThe core interaction remains the same -- using cycling alongside "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Astral Slide"}},{"insert":" to blink "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Eternal Witness"}},{"insert":" effects and recur cycling cards, removal, or lock pieces into the midgame, breaking parity on "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rule of Law"}},{"insert":" effects by using lots of abilities and finishing with a semi-staxy locked board for opponents into a massive army courtesy of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Decree of Justice"}},{"insert":". I've updated it with new cards as they've come along, adding some more blink engines like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ghostway"}},{"insert":" and witness-adjacent recursion. Most recently, I've added "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aven Interrupter"}},{"insert":" for the hardest lock yet, combining with rule of law and blink effects to prevent any opponent from casting a spell ever again - an even better option than the original deck's "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Plow Under"}},{"insert":" lock.\n\nThe name has a bit of history for me, too - it originally ran "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gaddock Teeg"}},{"insert":" as the commander to slow the game down a bit, but they eventually printed the bouncy unicorn and he took over.\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"Such a cool contest idea! Luckily, I'd just built one a couple months ago. Introducing... legacy lands (but singleton. and also 100 cards)!\nIt's always been one of my favorite deck ideas, having a majority of your synergy pieces being resistant to countermagic and removal, while presenting a very synergistic lockpiece gameplan. Outgrinding other decks with Life from the Loam, presenting Marit Lage as early as turn 2? Fantastic fun :) \n\nThe lands strategy has evolved and splintered as the age of FIRE design came and went, so I built this deck to try and fuse them all back together. Hope you and everyone else likes it as much as I do!\n\nhttps://archidekt.com/decks/8267832/legacy_lands_but_singleton_and_also_100_cards\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"Welcome to "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8306482/ruby_hurricane_july_2024_deck_building"},"insert":"Ruby Hurricane"},{"insert":". This deck is meant to be a Commander version of Ruby Storm, but even more chaotic and storm-y (and with some alternate wincons for when you can't get the 120 storm count to kill everyone with Gr"},{"attributes":{"background":"var(--light-background)","color":"var(--color)"},"insert":"apeshot)"},{"insert":"\n\nLike current Modern Ruby Storm, this deck centers around "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ral, Monsoon Mage // Ral, Leyline Prodigy"}},{"insert":" as your Commander and it's main strategy focuses on starting a huge storm chain through mana rituals, draw spells, flipping Ral with bonus loyalty counters and immediately using his planeswalker ult to let you cast even more instants/sorceries.\n\nBecause you need much higher storm counts for commander, I've included a small suite of bounce spells ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chain of Vapor"}},{"insert":" etc) to get Ral back into your hand and let you recast him as a creature, letting you restart the cycle, flip him again, and dig even further through your deck\n\nThis deck still uses into the traditional win via "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Grapeshot"}},{"insert":" , but I've added a few more flexible wincons since dealing with 3 other players is inherently more difficult.\nOn top of Grapeshot, this deck runs several "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lightning Bolt"}},{"insert":" effects that can be combo'd with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thousand-Year Storm"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Spellslinger burn payoffs with cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Guttersnipe"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fiery Inscription"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sentinel Tower"}},{"insert":" to ping players down to 0 or make that Grapeshot/Bolt kill easier to reach"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Token generators like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Talrand, Sky Summoner"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Young Pyromancer"}},{"insert":" that can be given cheap haste and a massive damage buff with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Haze of Rage"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"Presenting: "},{"attributes":{"bold":true,"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8271557/the_modern_history_of_whirza"},"insert":"The Modern History of Whirza"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8271557/the_modern_history_of_whirza"},"insert":" "},{"insert":"\n\nI started playing Modern in the wake of the Hogaak bannings and the end of Hogaak's reign of terror on the modern format. I've been playing Magic generally since around 1996-97 and I've always loved Urza. Well, the meta began looking to other decks to emerge during this time and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Urza, Lord High Artificer"}},{"insert":" began to fit the mold. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Whirza Combo:"},{"insert":"\n\nOf course, Whirza revolves around the combo created when you have "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thopter Foundry"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sword of the Meek"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Urza, Lord High Artificer"}},{"insert":" in play. You can sacrifice Sword of the Meek to Thopter Foundry, creating a 1/1 Thopter. Seeing that Thopter enter, Sword of the Meek returns to play. Then you can use Urza's mana ability to tap Sword of the Meek for mana, pay for Thopter Foundry's ability, sacrifice Sword of the Meek, and loop from there. Infinite Thopters smash your opponent in the air and secure victory. \n\nWhirza in Modern was maddeningly consistent because it usually ran 4 of each combo piece, maybe 2 or 3 Urzas depending on the players tolerance for potentially playing through the combo without Urza. However, in Commander, of course, we don't have that option. So, we have backup combos!\n\nWith Urza in play, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Animation Module"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Steel Overseer"}},{"insert":" can make massive amounts of servos. Each Servo will bring the Sword of the Meek back to the battlefield, and as turns go on, you'll be adding (if not infinite) far too many +1/+1 counters and creating far too many servos. It's not an infinite combo, but it is exponential. \n\nEven more potent includes are "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hangarback Walker"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Arcbound Ravager"}},{"insert":". With Animation Module and URza in play, Arcbound Ravagercreates an infinite combo creating infinite +1/+1 counter on the Ravager, in turn creating infinite servos, and infinite blue mana. If you're feeling really spicy, you can use the Ravager to sac the Hangarback Walker, create one or more thopters, then sac Ravager to itself putting all it's +1/+1 counters on a flying body.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Toolbox Artifacts:"},{"insert":"\n\nOf course, this being a combo deck, the play was surviving until you could assemble the combo. So, the other part of the deck was control. Throughout it's history, various builds of Whirza have run a litany of toolbox artifacts to slow down or stop the opponent from shutting down the Thopter Sword combo. One of the earliest bans Whirza got hit with was "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Arcum's Astrolabe"}},{"insert":". Filtering any of your mana from "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mox Opal"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chrome Mox"}},{"insert":" made Whirza players exceedingly greedy with their colored spell inclusions, splashing four colors and only excluding green. I've included Arcum's astrolabe not because it really helps in this Commander build, but really as a totem and nod to Whirza's past. Mox Opal is included as the original free mana rock. Once it was banned, Chrome Mox was players' next move, but it was never quite the same. \n\nThis deck's \"toolbox\" of artifacts runs some classics ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Grafdigger's Cage"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ensnaring Bridge"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spellskite"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aether Spellbomb"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shadowspear"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tormod's Crypt"}},{"insert":" ) but also has an eye to the future of Modern with the inclusion of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vexing Bauble"}},{"insert":" . \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Tutors, A Four-Letter Word:"},{"insert":"\n\nTo tutor up the combo, there are a number of \"fair tutors\" although you could use Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor. \n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Enlightened Tutor"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Muddle the Mixture"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fabricate"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tribute Mage"}},{"insert":" , and Whirza's namesake "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Whir of Invention"}},{"insert":" can all find either Thopter Foundry and/or Sword of the Meek. Importantly, all of those except Muddle and Tribute Mage can find your toolbox artifacts and the back up +1/+1 counter combo. \n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Goblin Engineer"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Emry, Lurker of the Loch"}},{"insert":" can throw your sword into the graveyard, ready for your 1/1 tokens to enter the battlefield. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"When the Gears Start Grinding: "},{"insert":"\n\nNow, what happens when everything doesn't go to plan? \n\nWell, the deck splashes in conventional artifact strategies from Modern's past. \n\nAffinity contingency plans represented by"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kappa Cannoneer"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cranial Plating"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cranial Ram"}},{"insert":" can quickly end things with a board full of thopter tokens, servo tokens, or just mana rocks. \n\nGo wide Thopter strategies are also here in spades to give you a path to victory if the combo falls apart. Classic Thopter pieces such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sai, Master Thopterist"}},{"insert":" ,"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thopter Spy Network"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sharding Sphinx"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Efficient Construction"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mechanized Production"}},{"insert":" .\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Finishers:"},{"insert":"\n\nSpeaking of Mechanized Production, you can alt-win through it's token count clause. However, there are a couple other finishers here in "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cyberdrive Awakener"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shadow Puppeteers"}},{"insert":" which allow you to smash in the skies. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"An Eye to the Horizon:"},{"insert":"\n\nAnd, of course, what is the future except history which has yet to pass? With an eye to the horizon I've included brand new cards which may or may not become modern staples int he artifact archetype: "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leonardo da Vinci"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Krenko's Buzzcrusher"}},{"insert":" , and as I already mentioned, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cranial Ram"}},{"insert":" !\n\nThanks for taking the time to take a trip through the Modern History of Whirza with me! \n\nI hope you enjoyed reading my list!\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"One of my favorite cards in all of magic meets probably my favorite standard formats I've ever played in (og innistrad still is my favorite set). Presenting Bant Pod meets edh, with the stipulation that every card in the 99 being a card that was standard legal alongside Birthing Pod. Roon was chosen as the commander as he was released during this same time period (commander 2013)\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8346770/birthing_pod_som_innistrad_block_standard"},"insert":"Standard Bant Pod"},{"insert":"\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"\"Birthing EDH-Pod\""},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8307690/birthing_edhpod_july_2024_deck_challenge"},"insert":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8307690/birthing_edhpod_july_2024_deck_challenge"},{"insert":"\n\nThank you for the challenge! Good luck to all participants! \n"}]}