she's MAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!
Control shell utilizing Madcap Experiment as either 1) discounted Gearhulks or 2) 3 extra copies of the Gearhulks. But honestly this deck plays like a controlly midrange: survive until you can start dropping big creatures, then drop threat after threat until dead.
Cataclysmic Gearhulk is a nuts powerhouse against go-wide decks, even though your opponent gets to choose their permanents (unlike Tragic Arrogance). You get to choose him as creature or artifact, meaning you can keep another Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet or a second Gearhulk.
Noxious Gearhulk: like Gilt-Leaf Winnower but more versatile. The lifegain is a life-saver, literally.
Combustible Gearhulk: ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS. Your opponent CAN'T afford to let you draw 3 off this guy unless they're below 10 life, but he usually flips for between 3-14 damage. And, as with all the gearhulks, he's a great creature.
Skysovereign, Consul Flagship: an honorary Gearhulk. It's like a weaker Noxious Gearhulk, except that its removal is repeatable and it flies. Crewable by any Gearhulk or Kalitas/zombie tokens. A GREAT target for Nahiri, the Harbinger ult.
Runs a typical Mardu removal suite:
Unlicensed Disintegration is extreme value, especially in a deck that runs artifacts and has incidental burn with Combustible Gearhulk. If you get some lucky flips, this can just be a game finisher.
Harnessed Lightning is a Lightning Strike removal card that gets very good in multiples, since they can feed off of each other and become Roast etc. Very versatile.
Anguished Unmaking for those pesky walkers if I'm getting overrun by creatures.
Radiant Flames
for those pesky creatures if I'm getting overrun by Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and Nissa, Voice of Zendikar.
Value
Nahiri, the Harbinger lets us filter draws, important because we're running a shit ton of high drops. She has a perfectly useful ulti and her removal is always appreciated.
Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet: just the BEST with boardwipe effects and all of the removal we're packin! He's the reason I'm not running more Declaration in Stone mainboard; his lifelink also helps offset Madcap life loss.
Linvala, the Preserver: instant band-aid! Can't imagine a game where her life gain doesn't go off, and her angel will probably come along also. Flying helps end the game ASAP.
Sorin, Grim Nemesis: Either a band-aid or a repeatable burn/card draw.
Removal Swap
Against any aggressive deck, you want to swap for relevant removal--like Anguished Unmaking for planeswalkers, Fragmentize for vehicles and Fevered Visions,
Radiant Flames
for aggro, Declaration in Stone for decks that play multiples or tokens. These come in where appropriate in place of Harnessed Lightning or Anguished Unmaking, etc.
This is really just a way to squeeze the most value out of your spot removal. Against creature-based decks, the Gearhulk/planeswalker package is very effective; but if you can get a 2-for-1 out of Declaration or Radiant Flames, the game is all the easier.
I do not advocate taking any of the Gearhulks out if you're not also taking out the Experiment package.
Siding out the Package:
However, in some games, like against Thermo-Thing, losing life to get creatures that kill other creatures--not usually relevant--is just not the best play. In that case you can side out Madcap Experiment and the irrelevant Gearhulks--usually Noxious Gearhulk and some amount of Cataclysmic Gearhulk--to put in more traditional Mardu cards. Gideon, Ally of Zendikar,
Kambal, Consul of Allocation
, and Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim help pressure while still being useful and versatile control cards.
