Mach Daddy Karn (Commander / EDH MTG Deck)

Mach Daddy Karn

Commander / EDH* Artifact Colorless Multiplayer

Chompythebeast

Artifact (43)

Land (38)

Commander (1)

Creature (17)

Sorcery (1)

1x All is Dust

Sideboard

Artifact (83)

Creature (42)

Land (34)

Instant (4)

Sorcery (1)

1x Gruesome Slaughter

Maybeboard

Artifact (44)

Land (14)

Instant (1)

1x Warping Wail

Enchantment (1)

1x Eldrazi Conscription

Creature (10)

Planeswalker (5)

*~ The Chompy Masterpiece Collection - Vol. VIII: Magus Ferruginus ~*

Meet the Father of the Machines. Tribal Golem theme! (Beat that, other Karn decks.)

In fact, counting Karn, Silver Golem, there are currently 11 Golem creatures in this build - I think that's grounds enough for an Urza's Incubator, don't you? Also, I get the feeling that the flavor text in that card is referring to Karn (even though that clearly isn't him in the art): "Stop thinking like an artificer, Urza, and start thinking like a father!" — Rayne, Academy Chancellor

Indeed, being one of the oldest and most beloved characters in the Magic: The Gathering mythos, Karn is featured prominently in many of EDH's greatest cards' arts and flavor texts (like Tempest's Propaganda). There is one other such card in this deck: the Urza's Legacy Beast of Burden, which has one of the greatest flavor texts of all time, and one that speaks right to the heart of who Karn is (or perhaps was): "If it is meant to be nothing but a machine," Karn finally asked Jhoira, "why did Urza build it to be like me?" Ah, when the machines we make are more human than we are... such are the considerations of a Brown (or "Rusty") Mage. (Why yes, I do prefer 'Brown Mage' to 'Silver Mage'.)

I also want to point out the fun you can have with Blinkmoth Urn. After the first round (and the artifact has recovered from its summoning sickness), you can start animating the Urn and attacking with it, so that it is tapped during your opponents' first main phase, thus denying them access to its ability! You could also tap the Urn to Clock of Omens, or perhaps an Altar Golem (if you have Karn out but can't/don't want to attack) to get the job done. Now that's some cutting-edge mech tech! The same trick can be finagled with a Howling Mine, should I choose to move that card from the Maybeboard.

Yes, I am aware of how broken Mycosynth Lattice and Voltaic Construct are with Karn as a general. That is precisely why I don't use them. Mycosynth mostly just causes artifact wipes to also take out lands, thus strong-arming people into not playing them. On the aggro side, it lets you use Karn's ability to pop people's lands for 1 apiece (turning them into 0/0 creatures that instantly die), much like Kamahl, Fist of Krosa in a Rout, but much better since you can do it whenever ("might as well use your 3 untapped the end-step before your turn!"). The defensive use is equal parts lame and underwhelming, but the offensive applications are game-breakingly powerful and heinously douchey. In short, Mycosynth Lattice basically amounts to mass and/or targeted land destruction, which is perhaps the most obnoxious manifestation of the most loathed mechanic in all of EDH. Run it in 1v1 Tournaments with cash on the line, I guess, but don't expose your friends to that kind of bullsh*t play in a casual setting. Like so many other broken combos, it's too easy, and beneath the dignity of skillful, artful Brown Mages such as ourselves.

Oh, and if Voltaic Construct needs explaining: Voltaic Construct + Karn, Silver Golem + Thran Dynamo OR Gilded Lotus OR Everflowing Chalice OR Grim Monolith OR Mana Vault etc. etc. = Infinite mana forever. What are we, pathetic Johnny, Combo Players? Remember, we want our wins to prove something other than that we have no scruples in friendly matches. So we take the high road and don't run the stupidly broken cards. Even when it's hard because they are golems (greatest tribe evar).

Important Note on Deck Legality: Tapped Out is erroneously saying that this deck isn't EDH legal because of Metalworker. However, Metalworker was unbanned on the the Official EDH Website on September 12th, 2014 (at the same time that they changed it so that there isn't a separate list of cards that are legal to play but can't be generals - all of those cards, such as Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary, are now simply banned). So in fact, this deck is EDH legal. Check this website for proof: http://mtgcommander.net/rules.php (Click the link "Deck Construction")

Although to be honest, Metalworker should probably have stayed banned... but you won't hear the Brown Mage complaining. With no regard for colored mana and with everything from the artifacts to the lands coming to life, this deck feels very unique when compared to most other EDH decks. It "handles" very differently - perhaps that's why it's one of my favorite decks to play.

Old Maybes: Astral Cornucopia, Baton of Morale, Book of Rass, Cathedral of War, Coalition Relic, Darksteel Sentinel, Guardian Idol, High Market, Illusionary Mask, Karn Liberated, Kuldotha Forgemaster, Mana Crypt, Mangara's Tome, Miren, the Moaning Well, Mirror Golem, Nim Deathmantle, Phyrexia's Core, Psychosis Crawler, Scarecrone, Skyship Weatherlight, Soul of New Phyrexia, Steel Overseer, Sword of Fire and Ice, Sword of Light and Shadow, Tectonic Edge, Trading Post, Ur-Golem's Eye, Ward of Bones, Worn Powerstone (An "F" or Foil mark indicates that a card is slated "For Removal" if it's in the Mainboard, or "For Insertion" if in the Maybeboard.)

Vol. I: Intet Dreams of Yesterday’s Day After Tomorrow (2008)Vol. II: The Great Chain (2009)Vol. III: Sliver Overlord Is Watching You (2010)Vol. IV: The One Where Radiant Gets Mad (2010)Vol. V: The Salvation Army (2011)Vol. VI: Zero-Point Omnath (2012)Vol. VII: Wu Daze, Blue Knights (2013)Vol. VIII: Mach Daddy Karn (2014)Vol. IX: Τὰ Πυρὰ τοῦ ὈλύμπουThe Fires of Olympus (2014)

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Date added	10 years
Last updated	2 years
Exclude colors	WUBRG
Legality	This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	19 - 18 Mythic Rares 56 - 80 Rares 21 - 49 Uncommons 1 - 17 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	4.92
Tokens	Construct 6/12 C, Copy Clone, Eldrazi 10/10 C, Eldrazi Scion 1/1 C, Gargoyle 3/4 C, Golem 4/4 C, Morph 2/2 C, Myr 1/1 C, Ox 2/4 W, 0/1 C Artifact Creature Pest, Saproling 1/1 G, Spirit 1/1 C, Thopter 1/1 C, Treasure, Wurm 3/3 C w/ Deathtouch, Wurm 3/3 C w/ Lifelink, Zombie 2/2 B
Folders	EDH, Decks for Cube Archetypes
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