CardShark Content - Jesse Deal (6/6/2004)

Did you hear about that new Pirate movie? It’s rated ARRRRRR. Avast ye scurvy dogs, it’s time for another look into the bloodthirsty world of Pirates. Ever since I got my fifth Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: R Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: T: Do 1 damage to any target.Cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play, though controller may still use special ability. Pirate Ship is destroyed immediately if at any time controller has no islands in play.

I have be preoccupied with holding my tongue in my fingers and trying to say “I was born on a Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: R Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: T: Do 1 damage to any target.Cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play, though controller may still use special ability. Pirate Ship is destroyed immediately if at any time controller has no islands in play.

”. For those of you who have never tried this exercise, I encourage you to do so now. Go ahead: “I was born on a Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: R Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: T: Do 1 damage to any target.Cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play, though controller may still use special ability. Pirate Ship is destroyed immediately if at any time controller has no islands in play.

”. Ha haaa you were born in a pile of ... anyway; I’ve been a Piratey guy for a while. From waving a Pirate flag on my canoe to devoting a small shrine (complete with animal sacrifice) to Johnny Depp, I’ve developed quite the reputation for being a sea dog. I’ve tried to reflect this love for Pirates in my Magic decks. For those of you who read my last article on Pirates and wondered what my casual Pirate deck looks like, I’m giving you guys the deck list. If you didn’t read the last article on Pirates, the following will be coded so your brains can’t see it:

Pirates of Dark Water (quite illegal)

Blue (29)
4: Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: R Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: T: Do 1 damage to any target.Cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play, though controller may still use special ability. Pirate Ship is destroyed immediately if at any time controller has no islands in play.

4: Ghost Ship

Ghost Ship
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: U Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 2 Toughness: 4 Text: Flying UUU: Regenerate

4: Cloud Pirates

Cloud Pirates
	Set: Portal Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Creature Rarity: C Artist: Phil Foglio Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying Cloud Pirates can intercept only creatures with flying.

2: Rishadan Airship

Rishadan Airship
	Set: Mercadian Masques Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Pirate Rarity: C Number: 91 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 3 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying Rishadan Airship may block only creatures with flying.

2: Kukemssa Pirates

Kukemssa Pirates
	Set: Mirage Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Pirates Rarity: R Artist: Jock Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: If Kukemssa Pirates attacks and is not blocked, you may choose to have it deal no damage to defending player this turn. If you do, gain control of target artifact that player controls.

1: Reef Pirates

Reef Pirates
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ships Rarity: C Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: If Reef Pirates damages any opponent, put the top card of that player's library into his or her graveyard.

1: Drowned

Drowned
	Set: The Dark Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombies Rarity: C Artist: Quinton Hoover Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: B: Regenerates

1: Talas Scout

Talas Scout
	Set: Portal Second Age Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Pirate Rarity: C Artist: Heather Hudson Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying

1: Talas Warrior

Talas Warrior
	Set: Portal Second Age Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Pirate Rarity: R Artist: Douglas Shuler Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Talas Warrior can't be blocked.

1: Rootwater Thief

Rootwater Thief
	Set: Nemesis Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Merfolk Rarity: R Number: 40 Artist: Ron Spears Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: U: Rootwater Thief gains flying until end of turn. Whenever Rootwater Thief deals combat damage to a player, you may pay 2. If you do, search that player's library for a card and remove that card from the game, then the player shuffles his or her library.

4: Coastal Piracy

Coastal Piracy
	Set: Mercadian Masques Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Number: 68 Artist: Matthew D. Wilson Text: Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to an opponent, you may draw a card.

2: War Tax

War Tax
	Set: Mercadian Masques Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Number: 113 Artist: Greg & Tim Hildebrandt Text: XU: Creatures can't attack this turn unless their controller pays X for each attacking creature.

2: Capsize

Capsize
	Set: Tempest Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Text: Buyback 3 (You may pay an additional 3 when you play this spell. If you do, put it into your hand instead of your graveyard as part of the spell's effect.) Return target permanent to owner's hand.

Black (4)
4: Erg Raiders

Erg Raiders
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Raiders Rarity: C Artist: Dameon Willich Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: If you do not attack with Raiders, they do 2 damage to you at end of turn. Raiders do no damage to you during the turn in which they are summoned.

Gold (3)
1: Ramirez DePietro

Ramirez DePietro
	Set: Legends Cost: 6 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Legend Rarity: U Artist: Phil Foglio Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: First strike

2: Skeleton Ship

Skeleton Ship
	Set: Ice Age Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Legend Rarity: R Artist: Amy Weber and Tom Wanerstrand Power: 0 Toughness: 3 Text: If at any time you control no islands, bury Skeleton Ship.T: Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.

Artifact (2)
1: Sol Ring

Sol Ring
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Artist: Mark Tedin Text: T: Add 2 colorless mana to your mana pool. This ability is played as an interrupt.

1: Feldon’s Cane

Land (22)
1: Rishadan Port

Rishadan Port
	Set: Mercadian Masques Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 324 Artist: Jerry Tiritilli Text: T: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool.1, T: Tap target land.

1: Island

Island
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add U to your mana pool.

of Wak-Wak
3: Saprazzan Skerry

Saprazzan Skerry
	Set: Mercadian Masques Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: C Number: 328 Artist: Pat Morrissey Text: Saprazzan Skerry comes into play tapped with two depletion counters on it.tap, Remove a depletion counter from Saprazzan Skerry: Add two blue mana to your mana pool. If there are no depletion counters on Saprazzan Skerry, sacrifice it.

1: Tolaria

Tolaria
	Set: Legends Color: Land Type: Legendary Land Rarity: U Artist: Nicola Leonard Text: T: Add U to your mana poolT: During upkeep remove the banding or bands with other ability from target creature until end of turn.

9: Island

Island
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add U to your mana pool.

s
7: Swamp

Swamp
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add B to your mana pool.

Now if you had decrypting sunglasses like in Thir13een Ghosts or John Carpenter’s “They Live”, then you saw this insanely stupid deck list. But before you pull any Canadian wrestling moves on me (curse you Rowdy Roddy Piper), allow me to explain some of the finer points of this deck.

The Captain:
First and foremost is Captain Jack Sparrow himself, the One-eyed Willy (I still can’t believe Goonies got away with that name), the sleaziest sleaze of the seven seas, Ramirez DePietro

Ramirez DePietro
	Set: Legends Cost: 6 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Legend Rarity: U Artist: Phil Foglio Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: First strike

. What does he do? Well, he’s got First Strike and your opponent can’t cast one because he’s a Legend and...um…that’s it. What do you mean “so what”? Ok, so maybe he’s not the most impressive card, but if you manage to find one, you’ll see why it has to be the signature card of this deck. He’s a big flaming Pirate.

The Fleet:
Second runner up is the Ships. There are four of them: the Jolly Roger, the Black Pearl, the Santa Maria, and the QE2. Of course in Magic they had their names changed to Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: R Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: T: Do 1 damage to any target.Cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play, though controller may still use special ability. Pirate Ship is destroyed immediately if at any time controller has no islands in play.

, Ghost Ship

Ghost Ship
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: U Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 2 Toughness: 4 Text: Flying UUU: Regenerate

, Skeleton Ship

Skeleton Ship
	Set: Ice Age Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Legend Rarity: R Artist: Amy Weber and Tom Wanerstrand Power: 0 Toughness: 3 Text: If at any time you control no islands, bury Skeleton Ship.T: Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.

, and Reef Pirates

Reef Pirates
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ships Rarity: C Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: If Reef Pirates damages any opponent, put the top card of that player's library into his or her graveyard.

. The Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: R Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: T: Do 1 damage to any target.Cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play, though controller may still use special ability. Pirate Ship is destroyed immediately if at any time controller has no islands in play.

is a great defender, being able to block and shoot something with its cannon. And should your opponent control an island, a 4/3 attacker is nothing to smirk at (although One-eyed Willy is). Skeleton Ship

Skeleton Ship
	Set: Ice Age Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Legend Rarity: R Artist: Amy Weber and Tom Wanerstrand Power: 0 Toughness: 3 Text: If at any time you control no islands, bury Skeleton Ship.T: Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.

is what we used to call a lightning rod. It’s such a nuisance that it would attract Lightning Bolt

Lightning Bolt
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Christopher Rush Text: Lightning Bolt does 3 damage to one target.

s from three comic shops away. My favorite combo used to be with Skeleton Ship

Skeleton Ship
	Set: Ice Age Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Legend Rarity: R Artist: Amy Weber and Tom Wanerstrand Power: 0 Toughness: 3 Text: If at any time you control no islands, bury Skeleton Ship.T: Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.

and Norritt

Norritt

Set: Ice Age Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Imp Rarity: C Artist: Mike Raabe Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Untap target blue creature.T: Force target non-wall creature to attack. If creature cannot attack, destroy it at end of turn. Use this ability only during target creature's controller's turn, before the attack. Cannot target creatures brought under their controller's control this turn.

(ahhh those were the days). Wherever your love for Norritt

Norritt

Set: Ice Age Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Imp Rarity: C Artist: Mike Raabe Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Untap target blue creature.T: Force target non-wall creature to attack. If creature cannot attack, destroy it at end of turn. Use this ability only during target creature's controller's turn, before the attack. Cannot target creatures brought under their controller's control this turn.

lies, just keep whittling down those creatures. Ghost Ship

Ghost Ship
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: U Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 2 Toughness: 4 Text: Flying UUU: Regenerate

was, and I think still is, the only flying blue regenerator. No, wait, I forgot about Cromat

Cromat
	Set: Apocalypse Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Legend Rarity: R Number: 94 Artist: Donato Giancola Power: 5 Toughness: 5 Text: WB: Destroy target creature blocking or blocked by Cromat. UR: Cromat gains flying until end of turn. BG: Regenerate Cromat. RW: Cromat gets +1/+1 until end of turn. GU: Put Cromat on top of its owner's library.

and Living Airship

Living Airship
	Set: Apocalypse Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: C Number: 28 Artist: Mark Tedin Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying. 2G: Regenerate Living Airship.

, my bad. But Ghost Ship

Ghost Ship
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: U Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 2 Toughness: 4 Text: Flying UUU: Regenerate

is still pretty cool and is the only all-blue flying regenerator. Granted, it’s pretty difficult to leave three colored mana open (I’m reminded of The Brute

The Brute
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Artist: Mark Poole Text: Target creature gets +1/+0.RRR: Regenerate target creature The Brute enchants.

, Niall Silvain

Niall Silvain
	Set: The Dark Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Niall Silvain Rarity: R Artist: Christopher Rush Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: GGGG, T: Target creature is regenerated.

, and Eron the Relentless

Eron the Relentless
	Set: Homelands Cost: 5 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Legend Rarity: U Artist: Christopher Rush Power: 5 Toughness: 2 Text: Eron the Relentless can attack the turn it comes into play on your side.RRR: Regenerate

), but a flying 2/4 for {2}{U}{U} is still pretty nice. Then there’s Reef Pirates

Reef Pirates
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ships Rarity: C Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: If Reef Pirates damages any opponent, put the top card of that player's library into his or her graveyard.

. They’re Pirates in a boat and that’s all that counts. I’m not throwing in Memory Lapse

Memory Lapse
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Mark Tedin Text: Counter target spell. Put that spell on top of owner's library.

for their benefit.

The Crew:
The Drowned

Drowned
	Set: The Dark Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombies Rarity: C Artist: Quinton Hoover Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: B: Regenerates

was another card that motivated me into building this deck. In their humble beginnings, they were another excuse to add blue to a Zombie deck, mostly because Zombie Master

Zombie Master
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Lord Rarity: R Artist: Jeff A. Menges Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: All zombies in play gain swampwalk and B: Regenerates for as long as this card remains in play.

and Scathe Zombies

Scathe Zombies
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombies Rarity: C Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 2 Toughness: 2

were the only Zombie cards. It seemed viable to add Clone

Clone

Set: Revised Edition Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Clone Rarity: U Artist: Julie Baroh Power: * Toughness: * Text: Upon summoning, Clone acquires all characteristics, including color, of any one creature in play on either side; any creature enchantments on original creature are not copied. Clone retains these characteristics even after original creature is destroyed. Clone cannot be summoned if there are no creatures in play.

s, Vesuvan Doppelganger

Vesuvan Doppelganger

Set: Revised Edition Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Doppelganger Rarity: R Artist: Quinton Hoover Power: * Toughness: * Text: Upon summoning, Doppelganger acquires all characteristics except color of any one creature in play on either side; any creature enchantments on the original creature are not copied. During controller's upkeep, Doppelganger may take on the characteristics of a different creature in play instead. Doppelganger may continue to copy a creature even after that creature leaves play, but if it switches it won't be able to switch back.

s, and Phantasmal Terrain

Phantasmal Terrain
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Enchant Land Rarity: C Artist: Dameon Willich Text: Target land changes to any basic land type of caster's choice. Land type is set when cast and may not be further altered by this card.

s to compliment the Zombie Master

Zombie Master
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Lord Rarity: R Artist: Jeff A. Menges Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: All zombies in play gain swampwalk and B: Regenerates for as long as this card remains in play.

s. But let’s face it, the Drowned

Drowned
	Set: The Dark Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombies Rarity: C Artist: Quinton Hoover Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: B: Regenerates

are really Pirates that have been living in Davy Jones’ Locker for a long time listening to “Daydream Believer” over and over and they just won’t die. This makes them a great blocker and a vital addition to this deck.
Kukemssa Pirates

Kukemssa Pirates
	Set: Mirage Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Pirates Rarity: R Artist: Jock Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: If Kukemssa Pirates attacks and is not blocked, you may choose to have it deal no damage to defending player this turn. If you do, gain control of target artifact that player controls.

are great Pirates, especially in light of Mirodin block. Just keep looting your opponent, damage will come later. Amusingly enough, they were technically the first “Pirate” that was printed in Magic.
Now for the illegal crew members, the Portal Crew: Cloud Pirates

Cloud Pirates
	Set: Portal Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Creature Rarity: C Artist: Phil Foglio Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying Cloud Pirates can intercept only creatures with flying.

, Talas Scout

Talas Scout
	Set: Portal Second Age Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Pirate Rarity: C Artist: Heather Hudson Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying

, and Talas Warrior

Talas Warrior
	Set: Portal Second Age Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Pirate Rarity: R Artist: Douglas Shuler Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Talas Warrior can't be blocked.

. Cloud Pirates

Cloud Pirates
	Set: Portal Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Creature Rarity: C Artist: Phil Foglio Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying Cloud Pirates can intercept only creatures with flying.

look like they’re about to chase Aladdin

Aladdin
	Set: Arabian Nights Cost: 4 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Aladdin Rarity: R Artist: Julie Baroh Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: 1RR and tap to take control of an artifact from opponent. Artifact is returned when Aladdin is removed from play or when game ends.

and sing “One Jump

Jump
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Mark Poole Text: Target creature is a flying creature until end of turn.

”. They are second rate Flying Men

Flying Men
	Set: Arabian Nights Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Flying Men Rarity: C Artist: Christopher Rush Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying

which is just fine for a one-drop. The Talas Scout

Talas Scout
	Set: Portal Second Age Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Pirate Rarity: C Artist: Heather Hudson Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying

is a good two-drop flier and he’s a Pirate to boot! Yes Portal II had creature types and this is one of two Pirates in there. The other is Talas Warrior

Talas Warrior
	Set: Portal Second Age Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Pirate Rarity: R Artist: Douglas Shuler Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Talas Warrior can't be blocked.

*, which is 2/2 and unblockable. Sneaky, huh?
This brings us to Masques Block. You may notice that most of the Rishadan Pirates are not here. For those of you who did not read my last article (and survived a seven minute tussle with Keith David), let’s just say that they’re off on a deadly secret mission. That being said, let’s give propers to Rishaden Airship, super highflying Pirate extraordinaire. Have you noticed that many of these Pirates fly? Just like real Pirates! This (plus the black cards) are the reason I named the deck after the cartoon “The Pirates of Dark Water” as they had a flying Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: R Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: T: Do 1 damage to any target.Cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play, though controller may still use special ability. Pirate Ship is destroyed immediately if at any time controller has no islands in play.

in that cartoon. I decided this deck was a fitting homage.
Some of you may also have noticed Rootwater Thief

Rootwater Thief
	Set: Nemesis Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Merfolk Rarity: R Number: 40 Artist: Ron Spears Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: U: Rootwater Thief gains flying until end of turn. Whenever Rootwater Thief deals combat damage to a player, you may pay 2. If you do, search that player's library for a card and remove that card from the game, then the player shuffles his or her library.

and exclaimed, “Hey, you dirty rat, that guy’s a Merfolk not a Pirate!” I know, but he’s a seaman (tee he) and he plunders so I stuck him in. Also in the not-officially-Pirates category are the Erg Raiders

Erg Raiders
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Raiders Rarity: C Artist: Dameon Willich Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: If you do not attack with Raiders, they do 2 damage to you at end of turn. Raiders do no damage to you during the turn in which they are summoned.

. I have actually doctored my original Arabian Nights Erg Raiders

Erg Raiders
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Raiders Rarity: C Artist: Dameon Willich Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: If you do not attack with Raiders, they do 2 damage to you at end of turn. Raiders do no damage to you during the turn in which they are summoned.

to have eye patches, hooks, and even parrots. They look like pirates so I am inclined to include these cost-efficient baddies.

The Weapons:
Coastal Piracy

Coastal Piracy
	Set: Mercadian Masques Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Number: 68 Artist: Matthew D. Wilson Text: Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to an opponent, you may draw a card.

is the key to this deck. There are enough fliers in this deck that all turn into Thieving Magpie

Thieving Magpie
	Set: Urza's Destiny Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Bird Rarity: U Number: 49 Artist: Una Fricker Power: 1 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying Whenever Thieving Magpie deals damage to one of your opponents, you draw a card.

s when this is out. Card draw is the best advantage we have and we can pretty much keep playing one to two creatures a turn as a result. That’s not too shabby. War Tax

War Tax
	Set: Mercadian Masques Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Number: 113 Artist: Greg & Tim Hildebrandt Text: XU: Creatures can't attack this turn unless their controller pays X for each attacking creature.

is a wonderful defense card. Can they normally handle Propaganda

Propaganda
	Set: Tempest Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Artist: Jeff Miracola Text: Each turn, each creature cannot attack you unless its controller pays an additional 2 for that creature.

? Well now they have to pay 5 mana for every creature ARRRRR! Don’t think it’s Piratey enough? Read the quote. Legerdemain

Legerdemain
	Set: Tempest Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Artist: Daren Bader Text: Permanently exchange control of target artifact or creature for control of target permanent of the same type.

(steals stuff, eh?) is great with Skeleton Ship

Skeleton Ship
	Set: Ice Age Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Legend Rarity: R Artist: Amy Weber and Tom Wanerstrand Power: 0 Toughness: 3 Text: If at any time you control no islands, bury Skeleton Ship.T: Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.

or Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: R Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: T: Do 1 damage to any target.Cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play, though controller may still use special ability. Pirate Ship is destroyed immediately if at any time controller has no islands in play.

if your opponent is not playing blue since they both need islands to live. If they have islands, try the Erg Raiders

Erg Raiders
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Raiders Rarity: C Artist: Dameon Willich Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: If you do not attack with Raiders, they do 2 damage to you at end of turn. Raiders do no damage to you during the turn in which they are summoned.

. They will either die to your Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: R Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: T: Do 1 damage to any target.Cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play, though controller may still use special ability. Pirate Ship is destroyed immediately if at any time controller has no islands in play.

or deal your opponent two points of damage. Capsize

Capsize
	Set: Tempest Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Text: Buyback 3 (You may pay an additional 3 when you play this spell. If you do, put it into your hand instead of your graveyard as part of the spell's effect.) Return target permanent to owner's hand.

will win you the game. Granted, it takes 6 mana to keep that thing rolling but Temporal Adept

Temporal Adept
	Set: Urza's Destiny Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Wizard Rarity: R Number: 48 Artist: Heather Hudson Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: UUU, T: Return target permanent to its owner's hand.

didn’t really fit the bill so we make do. Feldon’s Cane is for the long game when you’ve been drawing about five cards a turn. For peace of mind, pretend that it’s Long John Silver’s crutch or something.

The Setting:
Rishadan Port

Rishadan Port
	Set: Mercadian Masques Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 324 Artist: Jerry Tiritilli Text: T: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool.1, T: Tap target land.

was a no-brainer, or at least it was when I had the other Rishadan Pirates in my deck. It’s still useful against cool Legendary Lands or a good old Maze of Ith

Maze of Ith
	Set: The Dark Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: C Artist: Anson Maddocks Text: T: Target attacking creature becomes untapped. This creature neither deals nor receives damage as a result of combat.

. The Saprazzan Skerry

Saprazzan Skerry
	Set: Mercadian Masques Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: C Number: 328 Artist: Pat Morrissey Text: Saprazzan Skerry comes into play tapped with two depletion counters on it.tap, Remove a depletion counter from Saprazzan Skerry: Add two blue mana to your mana pool. If there are no depletion counters on Saprazzan Skerry, sacrifice it.

will get you the two blue you need for Ghost Ship

Ghost Ship
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: U Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 2 Toughness: 4 Text: Flying UUU: Regenerate

, or Coastal Piracy

Coastal Piracy
	Set: Mercadian Masques Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Number: 68 Artist: Matthew D. Wilson Text: Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to an opponent, you may draw a card.

, etc… Tolaria

Tolaria
	Set: Legends Color: Land Type: Legendary Land Rarity: U Artist: Nicola Leonard Text: T: Add U to your mana poolT: During upkeep remove the banding or bands with other ability from target creature until end of turn.

is there for all those banding creatures that everybody always plays (sigh…I miss banding). And finally, my pride and joy, the Island

Island
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add U to your mana pool.

of Wak-Wak. I don’t have to worry about my Rishadan Airship

Rishadan Airship
	Set: Mercadian Masques Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Pirate Rarity: C Number: 91 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 3 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying Rishadan Airship may block only creatures with flying.

being chump blocked by Scryb Sprites

Scryb Sprites
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Faeries Rarity: C Artist: Amy Weber Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying

anymore. This land is great tech and fun for surprising your opponents.

The most important thing in playing this deck is to shout something Piratey every time you cast a creature. “ARRRRR” will suffice but if you’re feeling up to it, “Avast ye landlubbers”, “Walk the plank”, “Swab the poop deck” and “Quit playing with your dingy” would be great.

Until next time, enjoy this one. I’ll let you know how my Legerdemain

Legerdemain
	Set: Tempest Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Artist: Daren Bader Text: Permanently exchange control of target artifact or creature for control of target permanent of the same type.

/Demonic Hordes

Demonic Hordes
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Demons Rarity: R Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 5 Toughness: 5 Text: T: Destroy 1 land.Pay BBB during your upkeep or the Hordes become tapped and you lose a land of opponent's choice.

/Parallax Tide

Parallax Tide
	Set: Nemesis Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 37 Artist: Carl Critchlow Text: Fading 5 Remove a fade counter from Parallax Tide: Remove target land from the game. When Parallax Tide leaves play, each player returns to play all cards he or she owns removed from the game with Parallax Tide.

deck turns out.

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