As with every week, the Midweek Magic event is currently underway and will last until June 27th. I usually don't consider these kinds of events relevant because most of the time they propose fancy formats to have fun with, sometimes random, and which I do not consider interesting if brought to a more serious and competitive level of play.
Today's format might not be an exception for someone out there, but I'm a big supporter of the fact that it deserves to be explored and played more seriously, because I think it could potentially be one of the best and most healthy formats on MTG Arena! As you already know from the title, I'm talking about Historic Artisan, the Historic format where you can use only common and uncommon cards.
Sadly on MTG Arena there's no specific section where you can play it whenever you want, so you have to wait several months until it's proposed as a special event lasting a couple of days.
On each of these occasions, I take the opportunity to explore it a little more each time, having fun building new decks, especially with the uncommons that have been printed in the meantime, and publishing the lists on the X platform.
Why not do the same here, then? Here we go with 5 new brews, including some of the best cards of the last few months!
#1 Red Deck Wins
Ok, let's start off with a bang! I already know that many of you, more than exploring the format, are interested in seeing the best list to make 3 easy wins at Midweek Magic or maybe to play it in some friendly tournaments, so you are served with this list!
I have already built several MonoRed in the past: Burn, Burn 8 Shrapnel Blast, Burn Fiery Inscription, Red Prowess, but MH3's release has probably pushed Red Deck Wins (monoR based on creatures) a cut above all the others.
What improved it the most is definitely Amped Raptor, an uncommon that is dominating the scene in Modern, Historic, and Timeless and could do the same here where it's potentially one of the kings of the format! As seen in Historic with Lurrus of the Dream-Den, I chose not to play cards with mana value higher than 2, so as to be more aggro, but above all putting myself in the condition of being able to cast anything that the Raptor finds and always get a 2 for 1.
Reckless Pyrosurfer is the other relevant 2-drop in MH3 and, despite not seeing any play in constructed, it's an excellent aggressive card giving its best in a creature-heavy shell and making the most of the extra lands.
The remaining 2-drops are synergistic between themselves and with the rest: Burning-Tree Emissary and Cunning Coyote, adding pieces and aggression. It's very easy to curve out with any 1-drop, followed by Burning-Tree Emissary + Amped Raptor + Cunning Coyote, all together on turn 2, attacking for at least 5 damage and immediately applying extreme pressure on the opponent.
Regarding the 1-drops, I only comment on Cacophony Scamp, which is synergistic with the buffs of Kumano Faces Kakkazan // Etching of Kumano, Cunning Coyote, Reckless Pyrosurfer and Monstrous Rage, and whose proliferate, in addition to working with both the lore and +1/+1 counters of Kumano, could also provide us with an extra energy useful for a future Galvanic Discharge.
#2 MonoU Ensoul
Even though they belong to 2 different Alchemy sets (YLCI and YMKM), Emporium Thopterist and Landlore Navigator work beautifully together and lay the foundation for building a monoU artifact shell.
Of course, if you want, you can add red for: Galvanic Discharge, Voldaren Epicure, Shrapnel Blast and maybe some copies of Gleaming Geardrake and Improvised Club, but I personally think there is enough redundancy to stay on one single color, especially considering the Artisan manabase leaves a bit to be desired.
Emporium Thopterist buffs Ornithopter and must be removed immediately or it risks taking the game by itself, conjuring a fresh new Ornithopter every turn.
Don't be in too of a hurry to play them, though, as sometimes it might be convenient to wait to trigger Landlore Navigator and, as well as for Ornithopter, a Thieving Magpie every turn can end the game.
The rest of the deck can be divided into small artifacts and spells to animate them. Case of the Filched Falcon, Ensoul Artifact, Zoetic Glyph, A-Kenku Artificer all have the same task, creating a 3/3, 4/4 or 5/5 already attacking, often flying, in order to win the enemy race. It's no coincidence artifact lands are indestructible! When we can, they will be our favorite target for these spells, so as to have a threat in play that most of the time our opponent will not be able to remove!
#3 Grixis Heist
Alchemy OTJ, instead, brought us heist with 4 uncommons to play all together in a single deck!
Impetuous Lootmonger is the MVP in Alchemy and its power level is so high that it will do as well in Artisan. Just like Thieving Aven which here is a very respectable creature and with 4 toughness comes out of the reach of the classic 3-damage spells, including even Galvanic Discharge most of the time.
The 2 for 1 of Weave the Nightmare is insane for the average level of this format, while Grave Expectations is our usual best heist enabler, but that can always come in handy to gain life against aggro or as a hategrave, here more than in Alchemy.
Where there is heist, there is crime and Forsaken Miner can be discarded with Impetuous Lootmonger and at the same time be reanimated, since making heist is equivalent to committing a crime! Blood Hustler and Intimidation Campaign complete the crime scene, favoring the lategame with value and pinging the opponent to death as an alternative wincon.
The rest of the deck presents itself as a Grixis Control with: counters, discards and removals and, despite not having Triumphant Getaway as a finisher, it can still win through creatures, but mostly by stealing opponent's pieces and win-conditions via heist!
#4 Gruul Energy
We've already seen a deck with Amped Raptor, but as I said this card is so busted that it's impossible not to abuse it. With MH3, Energy is everywhere and Gruul Energy is the deck that makes the most of another card that's seeing a lot of play everywhere: Unstable Amulet.
I know, Tune the Narrative, Whirler Virtuoso and Rogue Refiner are tempting, but, once again, there is already enough redundancy in these two colors alone that it's not worth playing Temur.
Wingbane Vantasaur, in fact, despite being perhaps the strongest 4-mana drop in the format, might seem a bit off topic here, but it's needed as a top end of the curve but at the same time we'll often play it on turn 3, thanks to Servant of the Conduit, and sometimes... even on turn 2!
Yes, because we can start the game by casting Attune with Aether, gain 2 Energy, cast Amped Raptor and cascade into Wingbane Vantasaur, paying 4 total Energy! The same is true if we start with Longtusk Stalker or Galvanic Discharge, even better with Aether Hub on turn 2.
Other times instead we'll settle for Phyrexian Ironworks that will provide us with 1 Energy per attack, but above all it will be our best Energy sink allowing us to have a 3/3 Golem every turn without spending mana.
#5 Elves
I've built several Goblin decks in Artisan, but I don't think I've ever been to work with Elves. The reprint of Wirewood Symbiote and Priest of Titania was the spark I was missing, taking me back in time to when I was just starting to play!
Of course, the 2 cards are almost a natural combo: Wirewood Symbiote untaps Priest of Titania so she can add more mana, but the benefits of the insect are not all there.
While it's true these additions don't solve the deck's problems and Elves always suffer too much from mass removal (actually Priest of Titania makes it even worse because she wants a mass of creatures on the board), Wirewood Symbiote slightly relieves the situation against single removal spells since it'll allow us to get back an elf into our hand and save the targeted elf.
The deck's strategy is based on the swarm and Lys Alana Huntmaster is perfect for this purpose, making us add Elves to the team simply by casting other Elves. Skyshroud Lookout and Disciple of Freyalise make sure we don't run out of cards, but, if that were to happen, we'll only have to some Elves back into our hand with Wirewood Symbiote and replay them. Even if it's an Elf without any ETB, Lys Alana Huntmaster will do the rest.
Once a critical mass is achieved, it's possible to boost it with Imperious Perfect or go lethal with the life loss by Shaman of the Pack. If it's not enough, don't worry, because once again Wirewood Symbiote will make us replay Shaman of the Pack, doubling the damage!
That's all for today! Of course I've only scratched the surface because Historic Artisan is extremely deep and unexplored, so you can build dozens and dozens of decks still being competitive! Have fun in these few days brewing and trying things and let's hope WoTC will soon realize that this format definitely deserves to be explored further and become permanent on MTG Arena!
