CardShark Content - Matthew Walker (9/29/2003)

In all the articles I've read, people have talked about this card, or that card, and how wonderful it is. True, most of the cards mentioned are indeed very good. But I've got another point of view. First, to put this into perspective, I recently went to the Mirrodin pre-release (My first large event of any kind) and pulled two Nuisance Engine

Nuisance Engine
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 221 Artist: Stephen Tappin Text: 2, T: Put a 0/1 Pest artifact creature token into play.

s, along with several other of the more popular cards. At first I just ignored the Engines, as I was concentrating on building a strong deck. Eventually, I came back to them, and added them to my deck as chump-blocker generators. I thought no more of it, and went on to play.

Between my first and second round, I was looking through my cards for possible combos, and I kept coming back to the Engine. I knew there had to be something there. The key is that the tokens generated have the following properties: 0/1 Pest Artifact Creature token. This is a lot more powerful in Mirrodin than it sounds at first glance. First: They're creatures, so they make great chump-blockers. Second: They're artifacts, so they count for Affinity. Third: They're artifacts, so they can be sacrificed to anything that wants an artifact. Like say... Atog

Atog
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Atog Rarity: C Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: 0: +2/+2. Each time you use this ability, you must sacrifice one of your artifacts in play.

s. Fourth: They share a creature type, so Coat of Arms

Coat of Arms
	Set: Exodus Cost: 5 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 131 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Text: Each creature gets +1/+1 for each other creature in play of the same creature type. (For example, if there are three Goblins in play, each of them gets +2/+2.)

will quickly make them big.

I was onto something here, so when I got home, I pulled out MWS, and built some decks. Here they are, with basic descriptions of how the decks work. Questions and comments are appreciated, but please be kind, since these are the first decks I've posted online.

Deck: PestAtog

Atog
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Atog Rarity: C Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: 0: +2/+2. Each time you use this ability, you must sacrifice one of your artifacts in play.

The core cards in this deck are Nuissance Engine and the two varieties of Atog

Atog
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Atog Rarity: C Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: 0: +2/+2. Each time you use this ability, you must sacrifice one of your artifacts in play.

found in Mirrodin. Since the Pest tokens count as artifacts, you can easily pump Atog

Atog
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Atog Rarity: C Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: 0: +2/+2. Each time you use this ability, you must sacrifice one of your artifacts in play.

s every turn without losing precious artifacts. Galvanic Key

Galvanic Key
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: C Number: 173 Artist: Tony Szczudlo Text: You may play Galvanic Key any time you could play an instant. 3, T: Untap target artifact.

can be used to untap your Engines, or if necessary, as fuel for the Atog

Atog
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Atog Rarity: C Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: 0: +2/+2. Each time you use this ability, you must sacrifice one of your artifacts in play.

s. The Blue fliers are there for defensive purposes only, and should only attack if your opponent has no fliers in play. You can also use Trash for Treasure

Trash for Treasure
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 109 Artist: Lars Grant-West Text: As an additional cost to play Trash for Treasure, sacrifice an artifact. Return target artifact card from your graveyard to play.

to retrieve artifacts from your graveyard if they get countered or destroyed.

I haven't played this deck yet, but it seems like a solid build. You may want to tweak mana balances a little, or adjust the creatures used.

// Lands
4 Cloudpost

Cloudpost
	Set: Mirrodin Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Locus Rarity: C Number: 280 Artist: Martina Pilcerova Power: Land Toughness: Locus Text: Cloudpost comes into play tapped. T: Add 1 to your mana pool for each Locus in play.

4 Seat of the Synod

Seat of the Synod
	Set: Mirrodin Color: Land Type: Artifact Land Rarity: C Number: 283 Artist: John Avon Text: (Seat of the Synod isn't a spell.) T: Add U to your mana pool.

4 Great Furnace

Great Furnace
	Set: Mirrodin Color: Land Type: Artifact Land Rarity: C Number: 282 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: (Great Furnace isn't a spell.) T: Add R to your mana pool.

4 Mountain

Mountain
	Set: Arabian Nights Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: C Artist: Douglas Shuler Text: Tap to add R to your mana pool.

4 Island

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

// Creatures
(Artifact: 8)
4 Copper Myr

Copper Myr
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: C Number: 158 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Add G to your mana pool.

4 Iron Myr

Iron Myr
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: C Number: 187 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Add R to your mana pool.

(Red: 8)
4 Atog

Atog
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Atog Rarity: C Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: 0: +2/+2. Each time you use this ability, you must sacrifice one of your artifacts in play.

4 Megatog

Megatog
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 6 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Atog Rarity: R Number: 100 Artist: Pete Venters Power: 3 Toughness: 4 Text: Sacrifice an artifact: Megatog gets +3/+3 and gains trample until end of turn.

(Blue: 8)
4 Looming Hoverguard

Looming Hoverguard
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 6 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Drone Rarity: U Number: 38 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying When Looming Hoverguard comes into play, put target artifact on top of its owner's library.

4 Lumengrid Sentinel

Lumengrid Sentinel
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Wizard Rarity: U Number: 40 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying Whenever an artifact comes into play under your control, you may tap target permanent.

// Spells
(Artifacts: 12)
4 Nuisance Engine

Nuisance Engine
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 221 Artist: Stephen Tappin Text: 2, T: Put a 0/1 Pest artifact creature token into play.

4 Galvanic Key

Galvanic Key
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: C Number: 173 Artist: Tony Szczudlo Text: You may play Galvanic Key any time you could play an instant. 3, T: Untap target artifact.

4 Chromatic Sphere

Chromatic Sphere
	Set: Invasion Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 299 Artist: Luca Zontini Text: 1, T, Sacrifice Chromatic Sphere: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Draw a card.

(Red: 4)
4 Trash for Treasure

Trash for Treasure
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 109 Artist: Lars Grant-West Text: As an additional cost to play Trash for Treasure, sacrifice an artifact. Return target artifact card from your graveyard to play.

Deck: Killer Pests

The core cards of this deck are Nuisance Engine

Nuisance Engine
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 221 Artist: Stephen Tappin Text: 2, T: Put a 0/1 Pest artifact creature token into play.

and Coat of Arms

Coat of Arms
	Set: Exodus Cost: 5 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 131 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Text: Each creature gets +1/+1 for each other creature in play of the same creature type. (For example, if there are three Goblins in play, each of them gets +2/+2.)

. The Myr are used to provide an extra source of mana as well as being another createtype to take advantage of your Coat of Arms

Coat of Arms
	Set: Exodus Cost: 5 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 131 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Text: Each creature gets +1/+1 for each other creature in play of the same creature type. (For example, if there are three Goblins in play, each of them gets +2/+2.)

. The Looming Hoverguard

Looming Hoverguard
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 6 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Drone Rarity: U Number: 38 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying When Looming Hoverguard comes into play, put target artifact on top of its owner's library.

and the Lumengrid Sentinel

Lumengrid Sentinel
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Wizard Rarity: U Number: 40 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying Whenever an artifact comes into play under your control, you may tap target permanent.

take advantage of the huge number of artifacts, making them into cheap fliers to help protect you. The Galvanic Key

Galvanic Key
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: C Number: 173 Artist: Tony Szczudlo Text: You may play Galvanic Key any time you could play an instant. 3, T: Untap target artifact.

is used to untap your Nuisance Engine

Nuisance Engine
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 221 Artist: Stephen Tappin Text: 2, T: Put a 0/1 Pest artifact creature token into play.

s so you can churn out more Pest Tokens each turn. Trash for Treasure

Trash for Treasure
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 109 Artist: Lars Grant-West Text: As an additional cost to play Trash for Treasure, sacrifice an artifact. Return target artifact card from your graveyard to play.

can be used to retrieve a Shatter

Shatter
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Amy Weber Text: Shatter destroys target artifact.

'd Engine from the graveyard, and Fabricate

Fabricate
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 35 Artist: Glen Angus Text: Search your library for an artifact card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

will help you get any artifact you need.

I've played this deck a litte online, and it's been performing well. Be wary of oppenents playing heavy control or artifact-hate decks however, as most of this deck is artifacts, and some of the cards will be sure to draw counters when you play them.

// Lands
4 Cloudpost

Cloudpost
	Set: Mirrodin Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Locus Rarity: C Number: 280 Artist: Martina Pilcerova Power: Land Toughness: Locus Text: Cloudpost comes into play tapped. T: Add 1 to your mana pool for each Locus in play.

4 Seat of the Synod

Seat of the Synod
	Set: Mirrodin Color: Land Type: Artifact Land Rarity: C Number: 283 Artist: John Avon Text: (Seat of the Synod isn't a spell.) T: Add U to your mana pool.

4 Great Furnace

Great Furnace
	Set: Mirrodin Color: Land Type: Artifact Land Rarity: C Number: 282 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: (Great Furnace isn't a spell.) T: Add R to your mana pool.

4 Mountain

Mountain
	Set: Arabian Nights Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: C Artist: Douglas Shuler Text: Tap to add R to your mana pool.

4 Island

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

// Creatures
(Artifact: 8)
4 Copper Myr

Copper Myr
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: C Number: 158 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Add G to your mana pool.

4 Iron Myr

Iron Myr
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: C Number: 187 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Add R to your mana pool.

(Blue: 8)
4 Looming Hoverguard

Looming Hoverguard
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 6 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Drone Rarity: U Number: 38 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying When Looming Hoverguard comes into play, put target artifact on top of its owner's library.

4 Lumengrid Sentinel

Lumengrid Sentinel
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Wizard Rarity: U Number: 40 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying Whenever an artifact comes into play under your control, you may tap target permanent.

// Spells
(Artifacts: 16)
4 Nuisance Engine

Nuisance Engine
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 221 Artist: Stephen Tappin Text: 2, T: Put a 0/1 Pest artifact creature token into play.

4 Galvanic Key

Galvanic Key
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: C Number: 173 Artist: Tony Szczudlo Text: You may play Galvanic Key any time you could play an instant. 3, T: Untap target artifact.

4 Chromatic Sphere

Chromatic Sphere
	Set: Invasion Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 299 Artist: Luca Zontini Text: 1, T, Sacrifice Chromatic Sphere: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Draw a card.

4 Coat of Arms

Coat of Arms
	Set: Exodus Cost: 5 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 131 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Text: Each creature gets +1/+1 for each other creature in play of the same creature type. (For example, if there are three Goblins in play, each of them gets +2/+2.)

(Red: 4)
4 Trash for Treasure

Trash for Treasure
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 109 Artist: Lars Grant-West Text: As an additional cost to play Trash for Treasure, sacrifice an artifact. Return target artifact card from your graveyard to play.

(Blue: 4)
4 Fabricate

Fabricate
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 35 Artist: Glen Angus Text: Search your library for an artifact card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

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