CardShark Content - K. David Ladage (1/19/2005)

Back in the old Alpha/Beta/Unlimited days, the people that wanted to play
blue creature-based decks sort of got the shaft. I mean, for one mana you
could generally get a 1/1 creature with an ability. White had the Benalish
Hero (1/1 Banding); Green had 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

(1/1 Flying), Shanodin Dryads

Shanodin Dryads
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Nymphs Rarity: C Artist: Anson Maddocks Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Forestwalk

(1/1 Forest

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

walk), Llanowar Elves

Llanowar Elves
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elves Rarity: C Artist: Anson Maddocks Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Add G to your mana pool. This ability is played as an interrupt.

(1/1 Green mana Producers), Timber Wolves

Timber Wolves
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Wolves Rarity: R Artist: Melissa A. Benson Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Bands

(1/1 Banding). Red had the Goblin Balloon Brigade

Goblin Balloon Brigade
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Goblins Rarity: U Artist: Andi Rusu Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: R: Gains flying ability until end of turn.

(1/1 with the potential to
be a flier). Black lacked a good solid 1/1 with ability creature, but it had
the Will-o-the-Wisp that was a 0/1 Flying with cheap regeneration.

Blue, sadly, was left with only one creature in the one-drop range: the
Merfolk of the Pearl Trident

Merfolk of the Pearl Trident
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Merfolk Rarity: C Artist: Jeff A. Menges Power: 1 Toughness: 1

. A 1/1 with nothing going for it. When Arabian
Nights came out, it got a bit better. Blue had 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

, and (strangely)
the life producing Merchant Ship

Merchant Ship
	Set: Arabian Nights Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Ship Rarity: U Artist: Tom Wänerstrand Power: 0 Toughness: 2 Text: If Merchant Ship attacks and is not blocked, you gain 2 life. Merchant Ship cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play. Merchant Ship is destroyed immediately if at any time you have no islands in play.

(0/2, if unblocked, gain 2 life). But as
the current set of Champions of Kamigawa shows, blue one-drop creatures are
not getting any better -- witness the anemic Wandering Ones

Wandering Ones
	Set: Champions of Kamigawa Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: C Number: 100 Artist: Heather Hudson Power: 1 Toughness: 1

(1/1 Spirit

Spirit
	Set: Divine vs Demonic Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: C Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying

with
no abilities).

Now, the Merfolk had a secret weapon: The Lord of Atlantis

Lord of Atlantis
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Lord Rarity: R Artist: Melissa A. Benson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: All Merfolk in play gain islandwalk and +1/+1 while this card is in play.

. This cheap 2/2
gave all merfolk +1/+1 and Island

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

walk. Good stuff. It was matched only by
the Goblin King

Goblin King
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Lord Rarity: R Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: All Goblins in play gain mountainwalk and +1/+1 while this card remains in play.

in red. Over the years, the number of goblins has outpaced
the number of merfolk by a long shot. But the Merfolk have been interesting
nonetheless.

It has been a while since some cards have come along that can make a Merfolk
Deck shine. But the Mirrodin block does offer some interesting
possibilities. The two main cards that can be of great use in a Merfolk deck
from that block are the Soul Foundry

Soul Foundry
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 4 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 246 Artist: Arnie Swekel Text: Imprint - When Soul Foundry comes into play, you may remove a creature card in your hand from the game. (The removed card is imprinted on this artifact.) X, T: Put a creature token into play that's a copy of the imprinted creature card. X is the converted mana cost of that card.

and the Isochron Scepter

Isochron Scepter
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 188 Artist: Mark Harrison Text: Imprint - When Isochron Scepter comes into play, you may remove an instant card with converted mana cost 2 or less in your hand from the game. (The removed card is imprinted on this artifact.) 2, T: You may copy the imprinted instant card and play the copy without paying its mana cost.

.

First, lets look at the deck-list for what I call ´´Return of the Men From
Atlantis´´ shall we?

(20) -- LAND
* Island

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

x20

(24) -- CREATURES
* Lord of Atlantis

Lord of Atlantis
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Lord Rarity: R Artist: Melissa A. Benson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: All Merfolk in play gain islandwalk and +1/+1 while this card is in play.

x4
* Various Merfolk x20

(16) -- OTHER SPELLS
* Isochron Scepter

Isochron Scepter
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 188 Artist: Mark Harrison Text: Imprint - When Isochron Scepter comes into play, you may remove an instant card with converted mana cost 2 or less in your hand from the game. (The removed card is imprinted on this artifact.) 2, T: You may copy the imprinted instant card and play the copy without paying its mana cost.

x4
* Soul Foundry

Soul Foundry
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 4 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 246 Artist: Arnie Swekel Text: Imprint - When Soul Foundry comes into play, you may remove a creature card in your hand from the game. (The removed card is imprinted on this artifact.) X, T: Put a creature token into play that's a copy of the imprinted creature card. X is the converted mana cost of that card.

x4
* Shimmering Mirage

Shimmering Mirage
	Set: Apocalypse Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 30 Artist: Rebecca Guay Text: Target land's type becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn. Draw a card.

x4
* Foreshadow

Foreshadow
	Set: Visions Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: U Artist: George Pratt Text: Name a card. Put the top card from target opponent's library into his or her graveyard. If that card is the one named, draw a card.Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

x4

When I say _various Merfolk_ -- I mean it. Use any you want to use, or feel
would be interesting. The most fun Merfolk for me have been Merfolk
Traders/Vodalian Merchant

Vodalian Merchant
	Set: Invasion Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Merfolk Rarity: C Number: 85 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: When Vodalian Merchant comes into play, draw a card, then discard a card from your hand.

, Manta Riders

Manta Riders
	Set: Tempest Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Merfolk Rarity: C Artist: Kaja Foglio Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: U: Manta Riders gains flying until end of turn.

, Vodalian Knights

Vodalian Knights
	Set: Fallen Empires Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Merfolk Rarity: R Number: 58 Artist: Susan Van Camp Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: First strikeU: Flying until end of turnVodalian Knights may not attack unless opponent controls at least one island. Bury Vodalian Knights if you control no islands.

, Rootwater
Hunters, River Merfolk

River Merfolk
	Set: Fallen Empires Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Merfolk Rarity: R Number: 51 Artist: Douglas Shuler Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: U: Mountainwalk until end of turn

, Vodalian Mage

Vodalian Mage
	Set: Fallen Empires Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Merfolk Rarity: C Number: 59 Artist: Susan Van Camp Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: U, T: Counters a target spell if caster of target spell does not pay an additional 1. Play this ability as an interrupt.

, and (if you want to be cruel)
Vodalian Illusionist

Vodalian Illusionist
	Set: Weatherlight Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Merfolk Rarity: U Artist: John Matson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: UU, T: Target creature phases out.

. But basically, any 20 Merfolk (with a decent mana
curve) should work just fine.

The deck revolves around the two artifacts, however. Isochron Scepter

Isochron Scepter
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 188 Artist: Mark Harrison Text: Imprint - When Isochron Scepter comes into play, you may remove an instant card with converted mana cost 2 or less in your hand from the game. (The removed card is imprinted on this artifact.) 2, T: You may copy the imprinted instant card and play the copy without paying its mana cost.

s come
out, and you want to imprint Shimmering Mirage

Shimmering Mirage
	Set: Apocalypse Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 30 Artist: Rebecca Guay Text: Target land's type becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn. Draw a card.

or Foreshadow

Foreshadow
	Set: Visions Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: U Artist: George Pratt Text: Name a card. Put the top card from target opponent's library into his or her graveyard. If that card is the one named, draw a card.Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

onto it. This
acts as a two-part advantage for you: each card has an effect that will help
you directly, as well as allow you to draw a card. Shimmering Mirage

Shimmering Mirage
	Set: Apocalypse Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 30 Artist: Rebecca Guay Text: Target land's type becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn. Draw a card.

will
give your opponent Island

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

s (to aid in your Island

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

walking), and foreshadow
will mill the opponent while giving you the possibility of drawing two cards
instead of just one (hint: just keep guessing basic land types).

The Soul Foundry

Soul Foundry
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 4 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 246 Artist: Arnie Swekel Text: Imprint - When Soul Foundry comes into play, you may remove a creature card in your hand from the game. (The removed card is imprinted on this artifact.) X, T: Put a creature token into play that's a copy of the imprinted creature card. X is the converted mana cost of that card.

is the card you want to put a Lord of Atlantis

Lord of Atlantis
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Lord Rarity: R Artist: Melissa A. Benson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: All Merfolk in play gain islandwalk and +1/+1 while this card is in play.

on. From
that point on, all of your Merfolk will be getting +1/+1 *per turn*. Once
you have two-or-three Lords in play, and you are casting one-mana 3/3 Manta
Riders... the game will be pretty close to over more than likely. Thus far,
I have yet to have more than 5 Lords in play... but that is plenty...

This deck is a casual one. In other words, it is not a very quick deck, and
has few ´´solutions´´ to the threats an opponent could throw at you. If you
ware playing more competitively, you can change out the Foreshadow

Foreshadow
	Set: Visions Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: U Artist: George Pratt Text: Name a card. Put the top card from target opponent's library into his or her graveyard. If that card is the one named, draw a card.Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

s for
other cards... examples that are quite potent in this deck are:
Counterspell

Counterspell
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: U Artist: Mark Poole Text: Counters target spell as it is being cast.

, Boomerang

Boomerang
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Alan Rabinowitz Text: Return target permanent to owner's hand.

/Eye of Nowhere

Eye of Nowhere
	Set: Champions of Kamigawa Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Sub Type: Arcane Rarity: C Number: 59 Artist: Alan Pollack Text: Return target permanent to its owner's hand.

, or even off-color spells like
Terror

Terror
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Ron Spencer Text: Buries target creature. Cannot target black creatures or artifact creatures.

, wild Might, Otherworldly Journey

Otherworldly Journey
	Set: Champions of Kamigawa Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Sub Type: Arcane Rarity: U Number: 37 Artist: Vance Kovacs Text: Remove target creature from the game. At end of turn, return that creature to play under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.

, or Incinerate

Incinerate
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Scott M. Fischer Text: Incinerate deals 3 damage to target creature or player. Creatures damaged by Incinerate cannot regenerate this turn.

(which can be used
thanks to the fact that the Isochron Scepter

Isochron Scepter
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 188 Artist: Mark Harrison Text: Imprint - When Isochron Scepter comes into play, you may remove an instant card with converted mana cost 2 or less in your hand from the game. (The removed card is imprinted on this artifact.) 2, T: You may copy the imprinted instant card and play the copy without paying its mana cost.

does not care what color mana
you use). Any way you slice it, however, it is a lot of fun watching the
Lord of Atlantis

Lord of Atlantis
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Lord Rarity: R Artist: Melissa A. Benson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: All Merfolk in play gain islandwalk and +1/+1 while this card is in play.

being mass produced each turn.

Enjoy!

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