Voltaic Key

Artifact

, : Untap target artifact.

Discussion (48)

TheVectornaut on Messing with Lore

1 week ago

Sorry I haven't been on to respond in a while. I've been busy with work and haven't been playing much as my LGS still hasn't opened tables up to Magic players. I may not know much about some of these new cards, but I'll still offer some advice on running artifacts in EDH. (Most of my experience is with Sydri, Galvanic Genius in A Pile of Cans so feel free to check that out.) First, I'd try to narrow down to a particular approach to build around. Osgir, the Reconstructor offers a range of options in this regard. Then, you can make swaps for cards that synergize more with that chosen approach.

One option I see is running as many low-cmc artifacts as possible to minimize how much you have to spend on your commander's activated ability. The best bet for this might be the new modular cards. They have small bodies that can be buffed by Osgir after combat and give extra benefits on being killed off themselves. Bonus points if you can afford Arcbound Ravager. Modular is not actually a triggered ETB so you can't get more benefit from Panharmonicon, but I'll touch on that more later. Other options include Bomat Courier, Epochrasite, Gingerbrute, and Sorcerer's Broom. Making lots of token creatures makes a go-wide plan with Steel Overseer, Chief of the Foundry, Signal Pest, and the like more viable. Anything else that produces thopters or servos fits too. Untapping Osgir is probably more mana efficient than copying his ability with this approach.

The exact opposite gameplan is also possible. Run plenty of ramp artifacts like Basalt Monolith, Thran Dynamo, Blinkmoth Urn, and Hedron Archive to play and duplicate overwhelming threats. Darksteel Forge, Soul of New Phyrexia, Platinum Angel, Platinum Emperion, Spine of Ish Sah, Bosh, Iron Golem, Phyrexian Triniform, and Summoning Station are the first options I can think of. Unfortunately, such cards do tend to be less budget friendly. I think it would also be worth distinguishing between a plan using death and entry triggers and one using taps and untaps. The former is where Panharmonicon comes back into play along with Mirrorworks, Prototype Portal, and the refurbish-ers like Goblin Welder. The latter is where Unwinding Clock is king along with its little brothers Clock of Omens, Voltaic Construct, and Voltaic Key. (Both choices can also apply to a more aggressive approach of course.) Here, copying Osgir's ability is likely to be more efficient than untapping him.

Some other artifacts I'm a fan of that are always useful are Mirage Mirror, Kuldotha Forgemaster, and Scourglass. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to get back as soon as I'm able. I apologize in advance if that means a few days.

legendofa on How do I count mana …

1 month ago

I haven't used it myself, and I've only seen it in action in one slow, grindy casual Commander deck. It seems to work best if you have a way to untap it, like Clock of Omens or Voltaic Key, but I'm not an expert.

DiscordantlyYou on The Titan Forge

2 months ago

TheVectornaut, thank you so much for the feedback! Having played the deck in my casual circle I can say that your suggestions are definitely keen ones, I'll definitely be implementing Voltaic Key into the next version. The Energy Chamber 's are kinda nice, but just as you'd observed they really have only been helping out the Titan Forge and occasionally pumping a few +1/+1's onto the Myr's, but it's definitely a weak link, think I'll cut it to 2x.

Contagion Clasp is interesting, gives me something on the enemy board to proliferate as well, I might give that a go and see how it turns out. I think I'll try siding out 2x of my Thoughtcast 's for Tezzeret's Gambit to see which I prefer, being able to draw 2 for often 1 Blue is nice, but the added proliferate could be a deal maker, I'll have to see how I like it!

Seriously great suggestions, I'll take them under advisement!

TheVectornaut on The Titan Forge

2 months ago

I don't have any experience with Titan Forge but from playing with Sydri, Galvanic Genius in EDH, I know that ways to untap artifacts tend to be quite strong in cases whre you have a lot of activated abilities that require tapping. The two big ones would be Voltaic Key and Unwinding Clock . If I had to cut something, I'd maybe say Energy Chamber since it has no tap/untap synergy and can only get you one charge counter a turn. Chamber is better with exactly Forge because you don't have to pay the 3 mana repeatedly, but Key would be better for basically everything else. I do really like the proliferate idea here too since it works across your entire board. Some other options in that direction could be Contagion Clasp or a swap of Thoughtcast for Tezzeret's Gambit .

blfngl on Eldrazi Tribal [80%]

2 months ago

Sephorai, I've left out Clock of Omens , Voltaic Key , Manifold Key , etc from the main list because I didn't want the deck to feel like an artifact-oriented strategy. Definitely try them out, they have high synergy with the multi-mana producing rocks and lead to infinite combos.

About Kozilek before six, it could just be variance that you're encountering. The lack of tutors makes it hard to guarantee you have your broken ramp spells consistently, so if you continue to face this problem perhaps include some more mana rocks.

Kipdog on Jhoira's Toys

4 months ago

Jhoira's Familiar is another discount option, admittedly on a 4 mana body Doubling Cube can do some bananas things for mana, esp when combined with Manifold Key or Voltaic Key Shimmer Myr is a cheap alternative to Vedalken Orrery The only other suggestion would be to consider a couple of Windfall or Wheel of Fortune effects - the roadblocks come when you run into a full hand of lands, sometimes one big refill is all you need to get to the win?

ijakobe on Eldrampzi

5 months ago

Good Point on the "Keys". On the face of it, Cloud Key looks amazing because he let's Kozilek 2-hit people all day. But I (as i am the player i the other side of this deck most of the time) don't recall this ever being a thing. this means Voltaic Key is strictly better, allthough without Rings of Brighthearth I also don't see any utility for the ability to untap the Key itself. Do you see any in the deck? One could also make the argument to just play both, if there are more Rocks in the deck that produce at least 2 mana, with Doubling Cube and Grim Monolith being possible additions to the deck to provide consistent nut draws.

BrassLord on Rakdos Dragon actual

5 months ago

Looks like a fun deck to pilot.

In reviewing the deck in it's current form, I can see a few different ways of trying to approach your problem. The first would be to double down on discard and reanimation effects to cheat the cards into play. Stuff like Winds of Change Wheel of Misfortune Wheel of Fate help filter through your deck and pair well with those other looting effects you already have. Adding in reanimation redundancy like Animate Dead could could also go.

I think the dragon...er... elephant in the room is the mana curve. Your commander incentivizes you to play big beefy dragons, but that skews your mana curve. Currently you have a LOT of low to the ground single mana producing artifacts (2cmc) and a few later game payoff ones, with the rest of your curve being around the 4-6 CMC. Another way to approach the mana problem is to double down on the big boy ramping artifacts, like Gilded Lotus . Then pair it Voltaic Key and Manifold Key so when it's online, you could actually hard cast some of those late game dragons!

The way mentioned above addresses the mana production head on. It'd also help if you paired some of this with some early game disruption to prevent opponents from getting ahead TOO quickly so you can't catch up. Cards like Mind Twist and Rakdos's Return can be backbreaking when ramped into early, shutting down the scariest player and allowing you to catchup with your dragons. Along those same lines, Torment of Hailfire is another staple big mana sink card to close games (though honestly, your dragons seem like they don't need that much help!) In a multiplayer game, cards like Fleshbag Marauder , Merciless Executioner , and Plaguecrafter can be removal in the early game and make utility spot removal reanimation targets later on.

Cuts I personally struggle with as well! I'd focus on whether or not the cards further your gameplan or promote you winning. For example, in the current list Dragon Mantle feels like a win more card, despite the fact that it cantrips. Unholy Indenture also feels the same way. But you should play the cards you like!

Happy Burninating!