5
$\begingroup$

The Challenge
Using only lands and artifacts, your goal is to build a Modern-legal Magic: the Gathering deck that is capable of winning the game as quickly as possible, against an opponent who does nothing. You may assume that your deck is stacked, so that you will always draw exactly the cards you want.

Your opponent's deck consists of sixty islands, they begin the game by mulliganing to zero, and will take no actions unless required to. Your solution may not involve random chance, or the opponent choosing to do something suicidal.

Scoring
The best solution is the one which can defeat the opponent in as few turns as possible. You may choose to play or draw, but winning on the play is faster than winning on the draw.
If two solutions are equally fast, the better solution is the one that deals more damage (or life-loss).
If two solutions are equally fast and equally damaging, the better solution is the one that uses less cards.
If your solution involves taking extra turns, it will be scored based on how many turns your opponent got. If the opponent never gets a turn, that's a turn 1 win. If the opponent takes one turn before you win, that's turn 2, and so on.

Why Modern-legal artifacts?
I've tested it, and I believe the restriction achieves an interesting level of complexity, with neither a dead simple four card solution, nor an optimal fifty-card monster solution.

Plus, it lends itself to a great puzzle title.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
6
  • $\begingroup$ Are we allowed to use Artifact Creatures? $\endgroup$
    – JonTheMon
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 15:49
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, anything with the Artifact type. $\endgroup$
    – Ninety-Three
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 15:52
  • $\begingroup$ @Ninety-Three Just an fyi, in the future, I would recommend measuring the winner by number of phases passed through, instead of saying that T1 on the draw is automatically slower than T1 on the play. While not normally relevant, and I don't think it is for this question, "Gemstone Caverns" is a card that may make it possible to win on your opponent's upkeep while being T1 on the draw, which would be faster than T1 on the play main phase. $\endgroup$
    – Waterseas
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 19:11
  • $\begingroup$ "or the opponent choosing to do something suicidal." aside from playing with a deck of nothing but lands ?? O.o lol $\endgroup$
    – Ditto
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 20:22
  • $\begingroup$ @Ditto I don't know what you're talking about, the opponent is playing a deck of nothing but the best card in Magic. They are obviously a wise and powerful wizard, who would never pick 20 on Choice of Damnations. $\endgroup$
    – Ninety-Three
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 20:27

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
9
$\begingroup$

Edit: Here's a more interesting infinite combo, still with 11 cards:

Play Darksteel Citadel, tap for (1)
Play Ornithopter for 0
Play Mox Opal, tap for U
Play Mox Opal sacrificing the other one, tap for U
Play Skill Borrower for 1UU, reveal Krark-Clan Ironworks
Sacrifice Darksteel Citadel, Ornithopter, and Mox Opal to Skill Borrower for (6)
Play Mimic Vat for 3
Play Ichor Wellspring for 2, but hold priority...
...Sacrifice the Ichor Wellspring to Skill Borrower for (2) and hold priority...
...Sacrifice Skill Borrower to itself for (2), imprinting onto Mimic Vat
...Tap Mimic Vat for 3, creating a token copy of Skill Borrower with haste
...Sacrifice Mimic Vat to the Skill Borrower token for (2)
...release priority, drawing Krark-Clan Ironworks and Voltaic Construct, revealing Dreamstone Hedron
Tap the Skill Borrower token for (3)
Play Voltaic Construct for 4
Pay 2 to untap the Skill Borrower token with Voltaic Construct, then tap it again for (3)
Repeat until you have infinite mana
Tap and sacrifice the Skill Borrower token for 3, drawing Dreamstone Hedron, Goblin Cannon, and ???
Play Goblin Cannon for 4
Shoot your opponent for infinite with Goblin Cannon

Turn 1 First Main Phase on the Play - Infinite Damage, 11 cards

Play Darksteel Citadel, tap for (1)
Play Ornithopter for 0
Play Mox Opal, tap for U
Play Mox Opal sacrificing the other one, tap for U
Play Mox Opal sacrificing the other one, tap for U
Play Krark-Clan Ironworks for 1UUU
Sacrifice Darksteel Citadel, Ornithopter, and Mox Opal to Krark-Clan Ironworks for (6)
Play Ichor Wellspring for 2, drawing a card
Sacrifice Ichor Wellspring to Krark-Clan Ironworks, drawing a card, gaining (2)
Play Myr Retriever for 2
Sacrifice Myr Retriever to Krark-Clan Ironworks, returning Ichor Wellspring, gaining (2)
Play Ichor Wellspring for 2, drawing a card
Sacrifice Ichor Wellspring to Krark-Clan Ironworks, drawing a card, gaining (2) (6 mana, 3 cards)
Play Locket of Yesterdays for 1
Play Goblin Cannon for 4
Play Myr Retriever for 1

Sacrifice Myr Retriever to Krark-Clan Ironworks returning Myr Retriever, play it, repeat until you have infinite mana, then blow Goblin Cannon for infinite damage

Older Solutions:

Turn 2 Combat on the Play - 11 infect.

Turn 1:
Play Inkmoth Nexus, tap for (1)
Play Ornithopter for 0
Play Springleaf Drum for 1, tap it and Ornithopter for U
Play Mox Opal, tap for U
Play Arcbound Ravager for UU (1 counter)
Sac Mox Opal to Ravager (2 counters)
Play Mox Opal, tap for U
Play Adventuring Gear for U

Turn 2:
Tap Springleaf Drum and Ornithopter for U
Activate Inkmoth Nexus for U
Tap Mox Opal for U
Equip Adventuring Gear to Nexus for U
Play Polluted Delta, fetch for Island (+4/+4 to Nexus)
Sac Mox Opal, Springleaf Drum, Ornithopter, and Adventuring Gear to Ravager (6 counters)
Sac Ravager to itself, transfer all 6 counters to Inkmoth Nexus

Attack with Inkmoth Nexus for 11 Infect

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
28
  • $\begingroup$ Not sure how I forgot about Ravager $\endgroup$
    – Waterseas
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 17:30
  • $\begingroup$ This doesn't work, you can't tap spring-leaf drum for (1) :P Just kidding ofcourse, i was about to post something quite similiar, good thing you saved me the trouble :) $\endgroup$
    – DrunkWolf
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 17:54
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ You cannot tap Springleaf Drum for {C}. Colorless is not a color, and never has been. It has always been a type of mana, but Springleaf Drum specifically says "color". It doesn't actually matter, though, because you can use any type of mana to activate Inkmoth Nexus. $\endgroup$
    – murgatroid99
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:44
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Oh, right you are. I'll go make it U, because I feel any combo can use more U. $\endgroup$
    – Zerris
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:45
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I figured out a way to get this down to ten cards. Stack your deck Darksteel Citadel, Ornithopter, Mox, Mox, Skill Borrower, Ichor Wellspring, Voltaic Construct, KCI, Golem Artisan, Dreamstone Hedron. Play Skill Borrower and KCI mox+thopter+citadel to float six, holding priority play and KCI the Wellspring, draw KCI, activate Golem to haste Borrower, draw Golem, tap Borrower for 3, play Voltaic, untap Borrower, make infinite mana, play Golem Artisan, make Skill Borrower infinitely large and attack. $\endgroup$
    – Ninety-Three
    Commented Mar 15, 2016 at 17:05
5
$\begingroup$

First solution: Turn 1 infinite damage, 15 cards

Play Darksteel Citadel, tap for 1
Cast Ornithopther
Cast Mox Opal, tap for U
Cast Mox Opal, tap for U
Cast Mox Opal, tap for U
Cast Krark-clan Ironworks. Sacrifice Citadel to Ironworks
Cast Ichor Wellspring and sac it. (2 cards in hand, 2 mana in pool)

Cast Locket of Yesterdays
Cast Ichor Wellspring and sac it
Cast Ichor Wellspring and sac it
Cast Ichor Wellspring and sac it. (4 cards in hand, 4 mana in pool)

Cast Myr Retriever and sacrifice it.
Cast Myr Retriever and sacrifice it, returning other Myr Retriever. repeat infinite number of times, generates infinite mana.

Cast Lightning greaves
Cast Sigil of Distinction with all mana

Equip to Ornithopther and attack.

Second solution: Turn 1 (deck size - 8)*2 damage, 7 cards

Play Darksteel Citadel, tap for 1
Cast Ornithopther
Cast Mox Opal, tap for U
Cast Mox Opal, tap for U
Cast Mox Opal, tap for U
Cast Krark-clan Ironworks
Sacrifice Citadel, Ornithopter, Mox and Ironworks itself to Ironworks for 8 mana.
Cast Goblin Charbelcher and activate it!
Let the rest of your deck consist of only nonland cards, except for the last one. That one is a Mountain

Not infinite because the rules require your deck to be of a size that you still can shuffle, too bad. Otherwise infinite

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ I had just come up with an infinite turn 1 combo, but the Ichor Wellspring and Locket of Yesterdays in place of Chromatic Star + Dreamstone Hedron and Etherium Sculptor shaved off a lot of wasted cards, so I hope you don't mind me stealing that tech! :D $\endgroup$
    – Zerris
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:39
  • $\begingroup$ @IvoBeckers Changing my vote to this for creativity and efficiency. $\endgroup$
    – Waterseas
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:43
0
$\begingroup$

T2 Combat:

T1: Mox Opal, Inkmoth Nexus, Ornithopter, SpringLeaf Drum, Cranial Plating
T2: Darksteel Citadel, Animate Inkmoth, equip Cranial, Bone Saw, equip Bone Saw, Ornithopter - 10 Infect damage

T2 Draw Combat:

T1: Mox Opal, Inkmoth Nexus, Ornithopter, SpringLeaf Drum, Cranial Plating
T2: Darksteel Citadel, Animate Inkmoth, equip Cranial, Ornithopter, Ornithopter, Ornithopter - 10 Infect damage

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ @dpwilson Ornithopter + Springleaf = 1 mana $\endgroup$
    – Waterseas
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 16:09
  • $\begingroup$ Yeah, I noticed that immediately after I commented, hence the deletion :P $\endgroup$
    – dpdwilson
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 16:10
  • $\begingroup$ @Dpwilson Makes sense, tis too bad I couldn't see the deletion : p $\endgroup$
    – Waterseas
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 16:13
0
$\begingroup$

Alternative Turn 2 Play Combat - 11 Infect Damage

  • Turn 1 on play: Inkmoth Nexus -> Paradise Mantle -> Mishra's Bauble -> Mox Opal -> Arcbound Ravager -> Sac Mox Opal to Arcbound for 1 counter -> Mox Opal - > Equip Paradise Mantle to Arcbound Ravager -> Sacrifice Mishra’s Bauble
  • Turn 2 Darksteel Citadel -> Activate Inkmoth - > Tap Arcbound, Mox Opal for Mana -> Chromatic Star Chromatic Star -> Sacrifice both chromatic stars and Mox Opal -> 3 counters 2 cards -> Mox Opal -> Chromatic Star -> Sacrifice Paradise Mantle, Mox Opal, Chromatic Star, Darksteel Citadel -> 4 counters, 1 card -> Darksteel Relic -> Sacrifice Darksteel relic -> 1 counter -> Sacrifice Arcbound Ravager -> 10 counters on Inkmoth -> Swing for 11 Infect Damage

Turn 2 Draw Combat

  • Turn 1 on draw: Inkmoth Nexus -> Springleaf Drum -> Memnite -> Mox Opal -> Cranial Plating -> Mox Opal -> Mox Opal -> Cranial Plating
  • Turn 2 Darksteel Citadel -> Activate Inkmoth -> Equip both Cranial Platings

In play: 2 Cranial Plating, Inkmoth Nexus, Mox Opal, Darksteel Citadel, Springleaf Drum, Memnite In graveyard: 2 Mox Opal

7 artifacts in play with Inkmoth active, Inkmoth Nexus swings for 15 Infect damage.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
0
$\begingroup$

Before the second turn*, infinite damage.

numbers between brackets indicate i tapped things and it made mana.

darksteel citadel (1), memnite, mox opal x4 (5) Timesifter,
opponent takes his turn, reveals island, you reveal something cmc 1 (over and over ofcourse) so you have 30 turns to win in any way you like before the start of your normal second turn. For instance by doing the combo Zerris suggested, Etherium sculptor + 2 myr retrievers + blasting station + krak-clan Ironworks, but spread out over turns 1.1 to 1.10
*depending on how extra turns are viewed

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
8
  • $\begingroup$ I feel this should count as winning on turn 2, because your opponent gets one turn, then you go infinite. In general, winning with infinite turns should count as winning on the turn you started taking infinite turns, I'll update the scoring to reflect that. $\endgroup$
    – Ninety-Three
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:10
  • $\begingroup$ @Ninety-Three you start taking extra turns after the opponents upkeep BEFORE your regular turn though, but ofcourse it's a bit about how you call it and I mostly posted it because it abuses the fact your opponent only has islands :) $\endgroup$
    – DrunkWolf
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:14
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Your extra turn occurs after their entire turn, not just after their upkeep. You haven't started your normal second turn, but "You took a turn, then your opponent took a turn, then you took a turn and went infinite" feels like a turn 2 victory to me. $\endgroup$
    – Ninety-Three
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:31
  • $\begingroup$ @Ninety-Three You're the boss, but i never took my regular second turn, is all i'm saying, so our feelings on the subject differ a bit :) (Then again, it could also be ruled as a turn 12 win, so turn 2 isn't that bad :P). Anyway, Ivo beckers has a faster win so it hardly matters :) $\endgroup$
    – DrunkWolf
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:35
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Yeah, I didn't worry too much about extra turns when writing up the challenge because I knew there was turn one victory. I'll keep this sort of thing in mind if extra turns are potentially relevant to a future puzzle, I'm sure there's some unambiguous way to write the scoring criteria. Maybe something about how many main phases the opponent gets, that leaves room for alt-wins like mill too... $\endgroup$
    – Ninety-Three
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:41

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.