Dalakos Does Equipment

[Tevesh]

Merry second page:

Changes 09/24/20

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin

1 Force of Will

Out

1 Thada Adel, Acquisitor

1 Capsize

Approximate Total Cost:

Thada Adel was pretty swingy. Out early, she was great; poking people for their Sol Rings and then grabbing other goodies. Unfortunately, out late where there plenty of blockers in the sky, she might not have had an easy target. Hitting people for their Sol Rings late game or whatever random Artifacts they tended to have was less than excellent. There was also the issue of her double Blue occasionally making me unable to cast her on curve. Krenko comes in because even if he is blocked, he makes an army in a can. These gobbos can either live on the ground or get kitted up with random gear to swing in. There have been times where I tried to race but got outswarmed. With the Goblins being 1/1s, that also makes them excellent Skullclamp fodder plus recursion with Trading Post.

I am very greedy. I've got to actively design my decks around my stupidity. Unfortunately, Capsize has Buyback which is what made me fall in love but a six mana bounce spell isn't a realistic option. There was talks on the EDH subreddit a few days ago about how the format has gotten leaner and meaner, some of the best staples from five years ago have fallen by the wayside and Capsize's name came up. I realized that's true, it's not that strong when you can pay one more mana for a Cyclonic Rift. I thought of Into the Roil as a quick tempo card that will hit my opponents hard but then I remembered put down my Vial Smasher the Fierce and Kraum, Ludevic's Opus deck, freeing up my Force. Nothing like pantsing someone when they thought you were tapped out.

[Tevesh]

Some fixing:

Changes 09/29/20

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Master Transmuter

1 Sulfur Falls

Out

1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun

1 Island

Approximate Total Cost:

Master Transmuter should be great, as the deck is already tempo-based and it'll be nice being able to sneak in Equipment or Creatures. I can't wait to get someone by bouncing Scytheclaw as a Cost and then plop it down upon resolution causing a Block out of nowhere. Originally, I earmarked Neheb, Dreadhorde Champion as the cut but had forgotten by the time I looked at the list today. I started at the top of my curve and went down, stopping at Niv-Mizzet and I realized that he usually sits in my hand. That Triple Red is a tough pill to swallow, in addition to the variety of cost reducers in the deck, I think I don't cast him because I always have to pay full price. I went down to Neheb, remember my first earmark and decided I wanted to axe the more expensive Dragon because I do remember Neheb's rummage and mana mattering a few times.

Island out because it was the most numerous of Basics.

[Tevesh]

Curve slimming and body pumping:

Changes 10/11/20

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Dualcaster Mage

Out

1 Wild Ricochet

Approximate Total Cost:

I realized that I very rarely used the redirection portion of Wild Ricochet, it was mostly used to due non-Izzet things like copying a Kodama's Reach or Exsanguinate. If I wanted to actually counter the Spell, I would do so. Non-Blue decks use the Redirects and Hexproof as their means of Countering Spells because they don't have access to the vanilla Counterspell. With that in mind, the Redirection in this deck didn't make that much sense and I would much rather prefer to Copy the Spell. Originally, I thought of Reverberate but this is a deck that actually likes bodies, so I decided to try Dualcaster Mage out.

[Tevesh]

Low opportunity cost improvement:

Changes 11/12/20

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Valakut Awakening

Out

1 Snow-Covered Mountain

Approximate Total Cost:

It's a rando wheel in case I need to dig, which I do remember having to do a few times, and it even turns on Field of the Dead easier.

[Tevesh]

Command Legends Revisions:

Changes 12/01/20

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith

1 Fathom Fleet Swordjack

1 Cascade Bluffs

1 War Room

Out

1 Jhoira's Familiar

1 Stormtide Leviathan

1 Emergence Zone

1 Spire of Industry

Approximate Total Cost:

I think Toggo is going to power up my deck crazily. He's bringing me a bunch of Equipment that'll easily turn my guys into Flying Men, he spews Artifacts by me playing the game. Those can then be used Improvise with Inspiring Statuary; become fodder for Goblin Welder, Goblin Engineer, Etherium Sculptor, Sai, Master Thopterist and that's off of the top of my head; and be a bunch of Artifacts for cards that care, like Tezzeret, Artifice Master or Fathom Fleet Swordjack. With him providing so much utility, I figured to cut a utility piece and that happens to be Jhoira's Familiar. By the time I hit 4 mana, I'm not that excited with cost reduction, plus the bird already Flies and we want MAXIMUM value.

Speaking of the Swordjack, he's coming in for Stormtide Leviathan. I put in the Leviathan in as a way to help me race against decks that want to put me down a turn before I would've done the same. The Swordjack lets me try much earlier and he's a realistically sized body to carry all sorts of Equipment. Plus, the amount of Treasures, Rocks and all sorts of knick knacks this deck makes makes me feel like the Swordjack is going to help me put people into the ground.

I didn't like paying life for Spire of Industry and I didn't really have a way to take advantage of Emergence Zone. They come in for colour-fixing in the form of Cascade Bluffs and utility in the form of draw with War Room.

[Tevesh]

Upgrades all around:

Changes 01/11/21

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Renowned Weaponsmith

1 Sword of Light and Shadow

1 Deflecting Swat

1 Fierce Guardianship

1 Volcanic Island

1 Training Center

Out

1 Treasure Nabber

1 Bident of Thassa

1 Lazotep Plating

1 Arcane Denial

2 Mountain

Approximate Total Cost:

I was watching a YT series which had Renowed Weaponsmith show up and I was pretty impressed at how often it was used to power our their Artifact Commander. While Dalakos isn't an Artifact, he certainly does use them all. With that in mind, I started looking at some Ramp pieces that have been underperforming and my gaze fell upon Treasure Nabber. In higher power settings, he'd definitely help you vault up the Ramp chain, especially if I can sacrifice my opponent's Artifacts for my gain. Unfortunately, that can't be guaranteed and there have been times he's been lacklustre so he gets replaced by the Weaponsmith.

I don't have a way to recur all of these Creatures who carry all of the gear - until now. Sword of Light and Shadow also helps me with life and Protections; the +2/+2 also means it is easier to count to 10 for Grafted Exoskeleton with my team. I can't remember ever casting Thassa's Bidet but the fact that I can't search it up with Deadeye Quartermaster doesn't help.

Lazotep is Hexproof, so a Redirect works just as good and Deflecting Swat does so for free. Ditto with Arcane Denial vs Fierce Guardianship.

Land upgrades are land upgrades: Volcanic Island and Training Center are better than basic Mountains.

[Tevesh]

Trading bombastic cards for more consistency, I think:

Changes 06/06/21

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Dragonkin Berserker

1 Vedalken Archmage

Out

1 Metalwork Colossus

1 Neheb, Dreadhorde Champion

Approximate Total Cost:

I have the theory that Dragonkin could be an end game type of card but it also comes down on Turn 2. Flying means it can swing without much danger, Boasting in Dragon Blockers. Crackback is fairly dangerous and so I do like the idea of making beefy, Dragon blockers who get less and less costly with each swing. Metalwork can do some serious work but the ability to futz with the Graveyard has made me a greedy idiot in the past, so that's why I am cutting him.

I am going to miss Neheb's 5/4 Trample body, but I think the Archmage's flat out draw on Artifact Casts is going to be far more valuable than Neheb's hoops jumping ways for a Rummage. At least, that's the theory.

[Tevesh]

Little swaps:

Changes 06/14/21

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Coastline Marauders

1 Prismari Campus

Out

1 Herald of Kozilek

1 Izzet Boilerworks

Approximate Total Cost:

I am not too impressed with Herald of Kozilek right now. I don't know what happened, at one point the Cost Reducers on Legs were amazing but now they're OK. Between Herald and Foundry Inspector, I decided to axe the Herald for two reasons. I have far more synergies with Artifacts, whether that is using a Renowned Weaponsmith or Goblin Welder, and Herald costs coloured mana. I am not having issues between making sure I have Red over my Blue dominance but there are some awkward openers with whether I can get Herald up and running in time. I've been very impressed with how much damage Coastline Marauders have done against me, so I'm giving them a try in this deck.

Izzet Boilerworks is effectively a Cantrip but I think I'll enjoy the Campus' low opportunity cost way to smooth my draws.

[Tevesh]

Surprised me too:

Changes 06/28/21

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Nettlecyst

Out

1 Umezawa's Jitte

Approximate Total Cost:

Somehow out of all of the cards in the deck, Umezawa's Jitte was the one that was underperforming. While it is probably one of the best pieces of Equipment ever printed, it can't quite compete with what Battlecruiser Commander demands. In its stead comes Nettlecyst who can immediately get to ending games, especially with Dalakos giving it flying. If the Germ token dies then one of many other critters in the list will be ready to spring into action.

[Tevesh]

Putting in the absolute bonkers:

Changes 09/03/21

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Urza, Lord High Artificer

Out

1 Inspiring Statuary

Approximate Total Cost:

Urza costs one more than Statuary. Oh, I guess you could say he's a Creature with Blue pips that dies to removal. But that's the end of what Statuary has over Urza, Urza is pretty absurd and so I don't think I need to explain why this change was made.

[Tevesh]

Half is not enough:

Changes 11/25/21

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Embercleave

Out

1 Scytheclaw

Approximate Total Cost:

Halving someone's life total isn't enough; perhaps if it was halved before combat damage I would be singing another tune. Even though Scytheclaw brings its own body, I am not interested in that. Most of my wins are from trying to count to 10 with an Grafted Exoskeleton. Embercleave comes in as a way to make that really easy. A 2/2 with Embercleave and Exo deal lethal Infect and considering how often I turn dudes sideways, I don't think I'll be paying full price for Embercleave anytime soon.

[Tevesh]

Improving the Ramp package:

Changes 12/11/21

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Vedalken Engineer

1 Scaretiller

1 Neurok Stealthsuit

Out

1 Dragonkin Berserker

1 Foundry Inspector

1 Sword of Light and Shadow

Approximate Total Cost:

Dragonkin is just a 2/2 who never really that I never had the luxury of Boasting with and so it gets the axe.

Foundry Inspector is another piece of the Cost Reduction package and I've finally figured out why they've been feeling lacklustre: re-Equipping. Having a 3 or 4 mana Artifact cost one less is nifty, but the problem then becomes when I need to keep spending mana gearing up my men. That's a lot of mana to spend, mana that a cost reducer does nothing about. Vedalkin Engineer comes in due to how much the Renowned Weaponsmith has impressed me. They come down cheap, help me poop out Equipment but also help me gear up my guys. This is why I'm also giving Scaretiller a shot: it's something that can easily wear gear and turn sideways to Ramp me, whether that's from the 'yard or my grip. The more lands I have in play, the easier of a time I'll have re-Equipping my guys.

Sword of Light and Shadow has a lot of nice theory behind it, but I never really had time to setup a recursion loop or something. In its stead comes Neurok Stealthsuit, just because it is an Equipment Counterspell. The amount of time people have tried to pop my Creatures, especially Dalakos, makes me think it'll be a good investment to stop that %$#%. The best part, maybe the hardest part, is recognizing that the Stealthsuit might appear to do nothing but that's because my opponents aren't tossing spells at me because it's out.

[Tevesh]

Seems to be a natural conclusion:

Changes 01/05/22

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Reckless Fireweaver

1 Grand Architect

1 Padeem, Consul of Innovation

1 Goldvein Pick

Out

1 Coastline Marauders

1 Valakut Awakening

1 Nezahal, Primal Tide

1 Search for Azcanta

Approximate Total Cost:

Coastline Marauders have been fine and dandy, but I was really impressed with a Reckless Fireweaver owning my face. Between Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith, Sai, Master Thopterist and many others spewing out Artifacts, I think I can burn the table down. The Fireweaver also wears the Grafted Exoskeleton beautifully, making it I only need to count to ten for my opponents with my Artifact spewing.

Grand Architect seems to be the logical conclusion to my other Artificers I've added to my roster. Now my guys can power out Equipment, easily attach it to those who haven't tapped and swing in. His Anthem is nifty. He'll probably have more impact than Valakut Awakening will ever. Though this leaves me dangerously low on lands, 36, when I prefer 38. I'll have to keep an eye open for any underperforming card to get my count up again.

A lot of my Creatures suffer terrible fates once the Equipment gets picked off, so Padeem comes in to make that difficult. Between all of my 3, 4 and 5 cost Artifacts (and six with Embercleave!), I might be getting some trickle draw. Big rocks like Gilded Lotus have fallen out of favour as the format gets leaner, which means I can easily see my various four drop Equipment netting me draws from this Phyrexian Arena on legs. Speaking of the leaner format, Nezahal is just too damned expensive to cast, there have been times when I had to decide between Nezahal and two spells or actions with this Book-reading dino always getting the short stick. He's strong but unless I build a Polymorph-style deck, he isn't worth the headache.

I don't have that many cards that Search's flipside can help me dig for. This is also an Aggro-Control deck, like U/G Madness was like back in the day, so I need Velocity more than Sustain. Search is too damned slow, the Goldvein Pick will help ramp me up, poop out Artifacts for Fireweaver and other cards that care and it's gear which is the whole point of this deck. I did axe Prying Blade in the past, but that could be due to the higher backloaded cost and perhaps the lack of an extra toughness. If the Pick overperforms, maybe I should consider bringing back Prying Blade.

[Tevesh]

A set about Equipment that is also Creatures? Seems tailor made for my man:

Changes 03/03/22

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Lizard Blades

1 The Reality Chip

1 Acquisition Octopus

1 Covert Technician

1 Komainu Battle Armor

1 Anchor to Reality

Out

1 Embercleave

1 Rhystic Study

1 Mystic Remora

1 Trading Post

1 Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith

1 Saheeli, Sublime Artificer

Approximate Total Cost:

Embercleave costs a lot. I'll probably miss the Trample but not enough to pay for the privilege of six mana. Lizard Blades is also a Creature so it can wear the gear or be the gear, that's huge.

I was convinced in my Cosima, God of the Voyage // The Omenkeel deck that I should probably scale back the old school, broken draw and go with something more in-theme. That touched me here, too. So I'm axing two incredible sources of draw; Rhystic and Remora for Equipment Creatures that'll also help me draw cards. Reality Chip and Acquisition Octopus come in me cards, whether that's as someone's hat or if they're wearing each other.

Trading Post has kind of been lacklustre. I really like it's utility but it hasn't gotten me out of a spot in a long while. Covert Technician caught my eye as it is an Artifact Creature, which will proc all of my cards that care about that. I can cheat it in if I get the golden play of Ninjutsing Solemn Simulacrum, plus with all of my geared up guys gaining Flying, she'll keep getting in and that'll let me cheat out more Artifacts.

I had a game where Toggo absolutely popped off and it was still underwhelming. While I like the idea that he'll keep giving me Equipment to give Flying to my Creatures, the Rocks he spewed didn't feel worth the hoops, even with Urza, Lord High Artificer and Shimmer Dragon out. He did not help me close out the game or give me enough Velocity to escape the mid-game. Komainu Battle Armor probably will, as it goads an entire team, which helps with my plan of turning my flying men sideways at others until they die.

Considering how many Creatures joined with this update a weak Saheeli was probably going to be worse and so it gets the axe for a card that'll let me find Grafted Exoskeleton or any other game ending Equipment with Anchor to Reality's Tinker.

[Tevesh]

Latest changes after jamming a bunch of games with the Kamigawa updates:

Changes 03/05/22

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Blackblade Reforged

1 Inquisitor's Flail

1 Scytheclaw

1 Izzet Boilerworks

1 Path of Ancestry

1 Spirebluff Canal

Out

1 Covert Technician

1 Master Transmuter

1 Goldvein Pick

1 Reckless Fireweaver

1 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods

1 Temple of the False God

Approximate Total Cost:

When I smoothly sail to the end game, I don't quite have a way to end the game. I've added back in some hard hitting Equipment. I have a bunch of random Legends, so I can probably get Blackblade on someone for cheap and failing that, I have tons of Artificers who can help people gear up. Covert Technician is cheeky but requires a bit of setup, so I decided to axe her for now. I might want to bring her back in.

Flail's for double damage and I can easily give it to a Zombie or Kobold. With how many Artificers I now have and the relatively flat curve for my gear, the Master Transmuter isn't as impressive. If she paid for Equip costs, then she'd be back as that's what slows the deck down but she doesn't.

Goldvein Pick did nothing wrong, it was just the least impressive looking Sword. If I can't get my huge pluses or damage doublers out, Scytheclaw does half the requirement to kill my opponents. Coming in readymade with a Germ is also a bonus.

With Toggo getting the axe, my plan to spew Artifacts from every orifice fell flat, which means that Reckless Fireweaver made a vestigial part of the deck that I decided to excise. I was right about being uncertain on my land count, so he gets replaced by a land. With all of the Artificers the deck now runs, plus all of the Coloured Equipment from Kamigawa, Temple and Shrine really hurt. Especially since Temple of the False God isn't a Land but Land facsimile. It's a Skyshroud Claim that takes up a Land Drop but also requires a minimum of five lands. The early game is when this deck is fragile, as it needs to out-tempo my opponents by having small dudes wield big swords who suddenly fly and become hard to deal with. In comes some coloured mana fixing, I'll see if the ETBT is too much but I like Boilerworks for effectively being a Cantrip and Path of Ancestry is going to do some serious work due to Dalakos being an Artificer and lots of my guys happen to be Artificers too for the Scry trigger.

[Tevesh]

Flail was disappointing:

Changes 05/09/22

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

In

1 Brass Knuckles

1 Silverbluff Bridge

1 Treasure Vault

Out

1 Inquisitor's Flail

1 Izzet Boilerworks

1 Spirebluff Canal

Approximate Total Cost:

Sometime you need the obvious to be spelled out for you, like doubling a Kobold's innate Power of 0 means didly squat. The idea with Brass Knuckles is that Double Strike is like doubling the damage, yet it can be used to gear up two different Creatures, or the same one for Double Strike goodness if need be. The low re-Equip cost is what got my interested in the first place.

I wanted to include two Artifact Lands as a way to monkey around with Goblin Welder and Goblin Engineer. I noticed too often that there wasn't anything I wanted to Sacrifice to pull something from my yard. I think Treasure Vault will let me do some Treasure shenanigans, like Sac'ing it to make a bunch of Treasures and then using the Engineer/Welder to bring back the land. I decided to cut Boilerworks because as a Karoo it could be clunky. Spirebluff Canal leaves because it's only good in the first few turns, I think Treasure Vault's upside will far outweigh any of this downside.

Speaking of monkeying, I did look to make room for Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer but I can't see something as an obvious cut.