Hedron Archive

Artifact

{T}: Add {C}{C}.

{2}, {T}, Sacrifice this: Draw two cards.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Alchemy	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Historic Brawl	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Modern Beyond Horizons	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Pre-release	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Standard	Legal
Standard Brawl	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (50)

shock7123 on Artifact Aggro on a $50 Budget

2 months ago

Out of curiosity, when you say hyper budget, how budget are we talking? Is there a monetary limit you're trying to stay under?

For starters, your mana ramp and card draw is incredibly limited. Especially for an aggro strategy, running out of cards in hand and mana to use is especially detrimental. You have some card selection with Akal Pakal, First Among Equals, but that can be a slow process when you're not flashing out artifacts on each turn. Some cards I might recommend:

Thought Monitor and Thoughtcast - cheat these out with affinity for easy one-time value. Prices are around $0.50 and $1.00, respectively.

Mask of Memory - equip onto a flyer or other evasive creature for consistent looting. ~$0.31

Hedron Archive - 6 mana over a couple of turns to be able to draw 2 isn't bad. ~$0.12

Aether Syphon - If you have the extra mana to pay into this, 2 mana to draw an extra card per turn is decent. ~$0.08

Transplant Theorist - loot whenever you play an artifact, plus get the ability to tuck cards back into your library to theoretically be able to replay later. ~$0.06

Coveted Jewel - 6 mana draw 3, then add 3 mana back. If you get attacked and don't have the ability to block one, sure, that opponent gets control of the jewel. However, it tends to start a minigame where people will just attack the Coveted Jewel's controller rather than you. ~$0.18

DemonDragonJ on Which is More Important: Total …

4 months ago

I often wonder which is more important for a card: its overall cost or its cost-to-effect ratio (i.e., its mana efficiency); for example, there is no question that Lightning Bolt is superior to both Shock and Searing Spear, but, between the other two cards, I would choose Shock over Searing Spear in the majority of situations, because Shock has a ratio of 2 damage for 1 mana, whereas Searing Spear has a ratio of 1.5 damage for 1 mana.

For a slightly more complicated example, compare Eladamri's Call to Shared Summons; the former card can find a creature for a mere 2 mana, which is very efficient, but it simply replaces one card in its controller's hand with another, whereas the latter card can search for two creatures, which leaves its caster with an additional card in hand, compared to before it is cast, but it is less efficient, costing 2.5 mana per creature found, so it is not as clear which card is superior, there.

Opportunity is literally a double version of Quick Study, as they both have the same ratio of cost to effect, but which is the superior card? Is it really better to spend six mana to draw four cards, as doing that would leave the caster with less mana to cast the spells that they draw? Also, Quick Study is strictly better than is Inspiration, as it costs 1 less mana to cast, but, between Concentrate and Tidings, I am not certain which is superior, since they both allow a player to draw one less card than their mana values.

On the subject of card drawing, in the realm of repeatable card drawing, Arcane Encyclopedia is strictly better than is Jayemdae Tome, as it costs only 3 mana to draw a single card, compared to 4, but Tower of Fortunes can draw four cards for 8 mana, which is a ratio of 2 mana per card, but that ability costs 8 mana, overall, so the question is if it is worth 8 mana to draw four cards.

Continuing that theme, there are numerous creatures (and one enchantment) that allow a player to repeatedly draw cards, such as Azure Mage, Spectral Sailor, Faerie Mastermind, Triskaidekaphile, or Treasure Trove, a ratio of 4 mana for one card, but Mystic Archaeologist can draw 2 two cards for 5 mana, a ratio of 2.5 mana per card, which is definitely far superior, in my mind.

Hedron Archive is literally two Mind Stones put together, and Dreamstone Hedron is literally a triple Mind Stone, so they all have the same cost-to-effect ratio, but I prefer the original Mind Stone, since the existence of Thran Dynamo and Gilded Lotus makes it difficult to justify using the other mana rocks, at least, for me.

To use the example of Skyward Eye Prophets, a 1/1 creature for 2 mana is perfectly acceptable, a 2/2 creature for 4 mana is slightly expensive, but nothing outrageous, but a 3/3 creature for 6 mana is simply too much, although, as a side note, I have a copy of that creature, in one of my decks, because I really like its ability.

For a further example, I would choose Mantis Rider over Lightning Angel in the majority of situations, since it provides a better rate than does the angel, and, similarly, I would choose Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers over Vernadi Shieldmate, since the former creature is more efficient for its cost.

I believe that I have provided a sufficient number of examples, for this discussion, so which trait do you believe is more important: overall mana cost or cost-to-effect ratio/mana efficiency? I certainly am interested to hear your thoughts on this matter.

multimedia on Brew my deck for me

4 months ago

Consider High Tide for ramp and/or with spells that can untap your Islands Turnabout, Frantic Search, Snap? Just Tide + Turnabout + you control 4 Islands could give you 10 mana turn 4. Mystic Sanctuary is a fantasic land that's an Island. Castle Vantress isn't an Island, but it's a good land for instant repeatable scry.

Consider Thought Vessel and/or Decanter of Endless Water? Mana rocks for ramp that can also potentially give you no max hand size before you control Nezahal. Reliquary Tower is a land for no max hand size.

Consider Forensic Researcher, Kelpie Guide, etc.? They can untap a land or a land that can make more than 1 mana Arid Archway, Guildless Commons even the same turn the land ETB. They can also untap a mana rock or even better a mana rock that can make more than 1 mana Sol Ring, Worn Powerstone, Palladium Myr, Thran Dynamo, Hedron Archive, Gilded Lotus, etc. They can also untap Nezahal to be a blocker.

A spell advantage blue has are instants that let you look at top X cards of your library and put one or more of any of them into our hand (any card(s) into hand is the advantage). Consider Impulse, Memory Deluge, Dig Through Time, Supreme Will, Thassa's Intervention, etc.? When you're casting instants on opponents' turns then Wavebreak Hippocamp is repeatable card draw. Being a 3 drop you can more safely play it and leave up mana for instant opponent interaction.

inni794 on Liesa but Angels

5 months ago

Thanks to both multimedia and TheoryCrafter for the suggestions.

A few of them I've acted on, for example, I didn't realise I couldn't use multiple Legion Angel in sideboard, and then Seraph Sanctuary, plus replacing Unmake with the Strictly better Utter End.

Added a Hedron Archive for more ramp, and Divine Visitation (a card I had already and was figuring out which deck to put in), along with another token generator in Dramatic Finale.

However, every addition I've made for your suggestions is just cards I already had (or found randomly when looking through my now 10 year old collection and forgot/didn't know I owned).

For the rest, though I agree with some of them on a concept level, including some of the lower power angels, my friend already has an angel deck and I'm trying to make mine slightly different from hers so as to not have overlap, so some of this was a conscious choice to be different, or some cases, I simply don't have more copies of the cards and don't want to buy more (HI Arcane Signet/Phyrexian Arena.

Again, thanks for your suggestions :)

hyalopterouslemur on Going beyond 40 lands if …

5 months ago

A good ratio is 40 lands, and then 10 for mana accel, 10 for instant answers, 10 for card draw, and one boardwipe which will favor you. But it's just a guideline.

In green, you have five mana ramp spells for {1}{G}. All green decks should presumably use all five if possible. (Monogreen gains nothing from Farseek, and Three Visits is a very rare card because Portal: Three Kingdoms. Hermit Druid decks are advised to just use mana rocks.) Toss in Sol Ring and Arcane Signet and we're at 7. The rest can be diamonds, signets, Mind Stone, Thought Vessel (if you're drawing a ton of cards), or Coldsteel Heart (which is strictly better than diamonds because you get to choose your color).

At three mana, you get Cultivate, Kodama's Reach, and Chromatic Lantern. Wood Elves and Farhaven Elf can be good, if you have ways to sacrifice them or otherwise abuse the 1/1 body.

At four, Skyshroud Claim and Migration Path are my favorites. I also like Hedron Archive.

Profet93 on Gary Murder Scene

1 year ago

I personally like to run 37, but everyone is different. It really depends on your avg cmc, amount of ramp you have, wincon, etc.... For your deck, I would see how your current 34 lands hold up. If you find yourself needing more, bump it up to 36-37. Regardless, you definitely need some more ramp. Jet Medallion, Arcane Signet (perhaps over or in additional to charcoal diamond), Mind Stone and maybe even a Hedron Archive.

For lands I recommend cutting Hive and westvale for Deserted Temple to untap coffers and Thespian's Stage to copy it or another utility land. Perhaps add in a Crypt of Agadeem. An Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth while unnecessary, is helpful. Albeit, it does provide symmetry to bublicking muck.

While a bit niche and unnecessary, if your playgroup is okay with combos, a Rings of Brighthearth is helpful. It allows double commander activations as well as some of your other creatures. Not to mention Rings + coffers + temple + swamps (urborg to make u need less swamps) = {INFINITY}{B}

I would add like 1-4 more removal cards personally depending on how much interaction you want in the deck. You might want to add another board wipe (or 2). All is Dust hits enchantments but not artifacts while Oblivion Stone hits everything. A rest in peace could be difficult for your deck to deal with and I don't see you running anything to deal with that. Perhaps a Feed the Swarm?

First try out your deck and see what you are lacking, either before or after my suggestions. Hope this helps, let me know what you think of each suggestion.

Profet93 on The H. P. Lovecraft Horror Show (The Defiler)

1 year ago

Hedron Archive / Mind Stone - Ramp and Draw

Urza's Incubator - Ramp

I understand the allure of going completely tribal, but at the cost of mana dorks, you really have a decision to make. If your meta is slower and you enjoy the flavor of pure tribal, then just add more artifact ramp like above. If you don't mind adding mana dorks to help ramp you in addition to your artifacts, your deck can still be considered tribal. It's really based on ur perceived definition of the word.

I believe you should add some mana dorks back in as well and remove 3-4 lands. I hate missing land drops so I understand. But to actually cast your expensive cards (you have a 5.37 avg cmc), you need more ramp to be relevant more quickly.

3 cards to swap out for the above could be...

1. Hedron Matrix - Just adds size, no important abilities. Your creatures are already big enough. Not to mention them being removed in response to the equip activation
2. Ring of Three Wishes - 5 to 10 mana for a tutor in a non-combo deck is not needed. Better to add more ramp
3. Skyship Weatherlight - See above

Unlife on Vendilion clique combo

1 year ago

Flavuss The speed really depends on your playgroup, but I don't see why those two couldn't fit in. However, I'm thinking of even simpler things like Arcane Signet, Eye of Ramos, Commander's Sphere, Skyclave Relic, Mind Stone, Hedron Archive, Gilded Lotus, Darksteel Ingot, Thought Vessel and Fellwar Stone. Some make blue, some make colorless but they all help you accelerate.