[Casual] Ultra-Budget Atogs

[Philippe Saner]

Ultra-Budget Atogs

A mono-red deck designed to exploit Atog and Ravenous Intruder to their fullest.

Most of the artifacts are there as food for the two-mana 1/2s. Scrap Trawler and Pia's Revolution are there to let them eat the same artifact again and again, unless your opponent is willing to take terrible amounts of damage. Ugin's Nexus is there for extra turns, and Temur Battle Rage is there to enable the occasional turn four kill.

Note that Ugin's Nexus doesn't interact very well with Pia's Revolution or Scrap Trawler. Also note that Urza's Bauble interacts extremely well with both.

This deck pushes my personal definition of ultra-budget a little. Cut the Great Furnaces if you want to lower the price.

Feedback would be appreciated.

[KouriNick]

This is a sweet deck idea! Reminds me a lot of the Klark-Clan Ironworks combo decks that pop up every once in a while (in that they both take advantage of cheap artifacts).  I especially like how the deck is more consistent since it has a functional Atog Reprint, and I'm happy to see somebody is taking full advantage! I know you classify the deck as casual, but I imagine that it's apable of winning REALLY quickly. What's your experience with the deck been like so far, and what cards have most surprised you?

As for potential additions, I think Fling could be sweet. Since it's getting repreinted in Amonket at common, it must fit the budget requirement, and tossing an 11/12 Atog seems incredible!

The first artifact that came to mind was chromatic Star (since you'd draw the card when you sac it), but I don't think it's very budget friendly.... *curse tron*

Another option could be Myr Retriever. A pair of them will cycle each other, and give yo a continuous source for your Atogs, and I can't imagine they're very expensive! Might be fun and worth a shot

Hope this gives you some ideas!! Good luck

[Philippe Saner]

My experience with the deck so far is non-existent; I've put it up here to get opinions before I go out and buy anything. Same goes for the bouncing enchantment and pummeler decks, although not for the brain deck. That one I actually built, right in time for WotC to pull the rug out from under me.

And yeah, the deck can win on turn 4. But it's way underpowered for Legacy, and in Modern you'd have to replace Urza's Bauble with Mishra's Bauble. And if you're gonna pay almost $200 for a playset of Mishra's Bauble, you can do better than Atog beatdown.

Fling definitely has potential. Seems like it'd occupy the Shrapnel Blast or Temur Battle Rage spot. Maybe I should cut the Blast, I'd really rather feed my atogs...then again, I don't have any other answer to large-ish creatures.

Chromatic Star is indeed too pricey. Three bucks apiece is more than I care to spend on a goofy deck like this one.

I like the looks of Myr Retriever. It loops with Scrap Trawler, too.

The question is, what to cut?

Anyway, I'm glad you like the deck. And thanks for the critique.

[AeroSigma]

I was going to suggest evasion of some sort, but I think you may have that covered. For example, Temur Battle Rage would be crap if you're only hitting the double strike, but I suppose you probably won't be casting it without getting the trample as well 99% of the time, so you're good there, and this should be your answer to large creatures as well...this and making sure your Atog is larger!

On the other hand, I think I'd prefer Fling to Shrapnel Blast. If you get critical mass on artifacts or Myr Retreiver, an Atog could get a lot bigger than the 5 from Shrapnel Blast, and if you can send that straight to the dome you will probably close out some games (make sure you sac the Great Furnace's to the Atog while Fling is still on the stack!). But there really isn't anyway to know for sure until you start playing it and reply here with your results!

On other notes, I drew some sample hands, and I am a little uncomfortable with the curve. Sometimes it draws fine, an implement (great choice here!) into Atog and Servo Schematic (also great synergy!), but other times I have 2 Atogs, and some 3 and 5 mana artifacts. This could just be variance (play it and you'll know for sure) but I really think you'll want to be brutal in cutting out every artifact that doesn't have major synergy and low cost. You'll really want this deck to be explosive and close out before they can cast removal or good blockers. Specifically, I'm not sure the wellspring is good enough, even though there's the same mana:card as the implement. Maybe cut the Scrap Trawler (though the 3rd creature is important, see below), and definitely cut the Ugin's Nexus: they both have some cute combo-like synergy with the 'togs, and it will be fun to pull it off, but I suspect this deck needs to be more cutthroat with your mana.

Also, I'm worried about removal. I play a pauper deck that also relies on combo-ing off a creature and it's functional reprint (Nivix-kiln fiend.) It's a super fun deck, (and I bet this will be too) but let me tell you, 8 creatures is not enough. I back it up with Delver, and have at a minimum 4 protection spells in the deck at all times, and I still lose a decent amount by having no creatures on the board. Thus, I highly recommend finding some (cheap) artifacts that protect your Atogs somehow. I'll leave you to decide exactly which ones, and how to slot them in, but you'll have games where you need to find a way to keep that last Atog on the board, and popping a Glaring Spotlight is probably the way you'll do that.

Good Luck, and let us know how it works out!

[trubaedo]

i used Reckless Fireweaver in t2

[Philippe Saner]

On the other hand, I think I'd prefer Fling to Shrapnel Blast.

Alright, I'll make the swap.

Specifically, I'm not sure the wellspring is good enough, even though there's the same mana:card as the implement. Maybe cut the Scrap Trawler (though the 3rd creature is important, see below), and definitely cut the Ugin's Nexus: they both have some cute combo-like synergy with the 'togs, and it will be fun to pull it off, but I suspect this deck needs to be more cutthroat with your mana.

I'm confident that Scrap Trawler is worth including. It can generate massive card advantage, especially when Urza's Bauble is available, and as you said this deck needs bodies.

I don't want to cut Ugin's Nexus. I want to make the bulk mythic work. But you're probably right.

Ichor Wellspring I'm not so sure about. Could go either way on it, honestly.

Also, I'm worried about removal. I play a pauper deck that also relies on combo-ing off a creature and it's functional reprint (Nivix-kiln fiend.) It's a super fun deck, (and I bet this will be too) but let me tell you, 8 creatures is not enough. I back it up with Delver, and have at a minimum 4 protection spells in the deck at all times, and I still lose a decent amount by having no creatures on the board. Thus, I highly recommend finding some (cheap) artifacts that protect your Atogs somehow. I'll leave you to decide exactly which ones, and how to slot them in, but you'll have games where you need to find a way to keep that last Atog on the board, and popping a Glaring Spotlight is probably the way you'll do that.

I'm suspicious of Glaring Spotlight. This deck doesn't really want to leave mana open. Swiftfoot Boots and Lightning Greaves seem better, but a little hard on the budget.

The deck can draw a fair number of cards. Maybe I can use that to replace lost Atogs. Forgotten Cave might help with that, since unlike a lot of draw-heavy decks this one doesn't want a huge pile of lands.

I could also try adding more threats, I guess. The closest Atog equivalents, Ferrovore, Megatog, and Krark-Clan Grunt, seem kinda bad. (Ignoring Arcbound Ravager for budget reasons, obviously.) But going a bit further out...Pia and Kiran Nalaar is great against spot removal, two edible artifacts, and an artifact sac-outlet. Might be a good include.

Thoughts?

Good Luck, and let us know how it works out!

Will do. Thanks.

[AeroSigma]

I was going to suggest Etherium Sculptor, which you should at least think about. Maybe give it a try if Scrap Trawler ends up being too expensive, though I think you could be right about that one.

However, I do really like the idea of Pia and Kiran Nalaar as a curve topper. The value is there, and the synergy with Atog is great. This is really what you should be playing instead of Ugin's Nexus, but I respect the fact that you understand that having fun is sometimes more important than win percentage in casual!

[Philippe Saner]

I'd cut Ugin's Nexus in a moment if I came up with another deck that could use it better than this one. Would probably let me shave a land or two, which would be great.

I just feel like there must be some kind of home for an extra turn with potential upside.

As for the sculptor, I'm not keen on adding blue. Budget manabases, you know? I'd rather get that effect from Foundry Inspector, even though it costs more.

[TZx]

I think that Temur Battle-Rage might be helpful, if you can also use a fling to hit heavily.

[AeroSigma]

If you want to break ugin's nexus, build a combo deck that cheats it out on turn 3 or something :p  Add in mindslaver for the lols.

[Philippe Saner]

I think that Temur Battle-Rage might be helpful, if you can also use a fling to hit heavily.

I'm totally playing it.

If you want to break ugin's nexus, build a combo deck that cheats it out on turn 3 or something :p  Add in mindslaver for the lols.

Thing is, if I'm not exploiting its artifact-ness then I might as well just play Time Warp.

I have an idea for a blue-black Sage of Latnam/Priest of Yawgmoth deck. We'll see if works out.

[Philippe Saner]

Found a better home for Ugin's Nexus. So I switched the deck around a little.

Thanks for the help, guys.

Revision 2

Added/removed cards:
-1 Shrapnel Blast
-2 Ugin's Nexus
+1 Fling
+2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
+1 Swiftfoot Boots

Changed amounts:
-1 Mountain

[Nils]

Your deck was selected as our DeckStats.net deck of the week this week! Congratulations!

[ridikolaus]

For a budget modern version
replace Urza's Bauble by either Tormod's Crypt (graveyard hate), Ornithopter (occasional blocker) or even Herbal Poultice (costly protection of Atog)
and Great Furnace by an extra 1-2 Darksteel Citadel and Mountain