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Construction Complete! *PRIMER*

Commander / EDH Artifact Bracket 4 Casual Combo Infinite Combo Multiplayer WUB (Esper)

NV_1980

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Land (35)

Planeswalker (4)

Artifact (32)

Sorcery (4)

Commander (1)

Commander: Sharuum the Hegemon

Creature (14)

Instant (9)

Enchantment (1)

Welcome to Construction Complete!

Hi there! Welcome to the primer of this Esper, artifact combo deck; commanded by Sharuum the Hegemon. This Sphinx queen means business! Her wisdom has made her widely respected on her home-plane of Esper Alara. Her skill at creating objects out of etherium-alloys is unmatched and has allowed her to reforge relics discarded by others into items of considerable power. The demon-dragon Malfegor sought to obtain these skills for himself, as he marched his forces against the Esper shard, but Sharuum managed to evade him while furiously plotting ways to outmaneuver and defeat her foe. Eventually, she didn’t just manage to bring on his downfall, but also managed to reunite with her lover Crucius, whom she had feared lost forever when the shard was first invaded. She has now come full circle and is at the height of her power. Yet you’ve chosen to come and challenge her. Her claws and fangs have been sharpened for the occasion but know that neither is anywhere close as sharp as her wits. So, what you’ve come to try is very brave of you … or very foolish. Let’s figure out which one it is! This deck is meant to be played casually. It’s not meant to be used in a competitive fashion, but of course anyone is welcome to try! Feel free to comment on anything you (dis)like throughout this primer; hope you will enjoy it!

Because her enter-the-battlefield power is quite powerful. By appearing, any artifact put into the graveyard immediately joins her on the battlefield. This can be (mis)used in so many ways that it’s just fun to list all of them. She’s also an excellent combatant as a 5/5 flyer. Her only downside is her cost, but with enough energy suppliers within one’s deck this doesn’t have to be a problem.

The following ten parameters have been used to determine the strength of the deck. For each, a score of 5 (very good), 4 (good), 3 (mediocre), 2 (bad) or 1 (very bad) has been allocated; when totalized this score represents the power rating of the deck (maximum score is 50 points).

  • Mana: indicates the availability of mana sources within the deck.
  • Ramp: indicates the speed at which mana sources within the deck can be made available.
  • Card Advantage: indicates availability of filter- and draw resources represented within the deck.
  • Overall speed: indicates the deck’s potential for pace, based on resource availability and mana curve.
  • Combo: indicates the measure of combo-orientation of the deck.
  • Army: indicates the deck’s creature-army strength.
  • Commander: indicates how much the deck is commander-oriented/dependent (less dependency is better).
  • Interaction: indicates how much this deck can mess with opponents’ board states and turn-phases.
  • Resilience: indicates whether the deck can prevent and take punches.
  • Spellpower: indicates the availability and strength of high-impact spells.

Mana: 5

One of the defining qualities of this deck; there are mana-sources aplenty. Most of them are rocks, fourteen to be exact. Then there are three ways to cheapen the casting of artifacts, two dorks that can be tapped for mana and two permanents to which cards can be sacrificed for mana.

Ramp: 1

Considering the massive number of energy sources available within the deck, it wasn’t deemed necessary to include resources to tutor lands.

Card Advantage: 5

In a deck that supports a massive number of combos, it helps when one’s able to draw lots of cards or is even able to search for them. That saves a lot of time and gets one to victory quicker. Ten cards help one to directly draw from the deck, while a further seven tutor-spells allow one to search more specifically. The deck also features a bit of top-decking and filtering.

Overall speed: 5

Though it depends a bit on one’s starting hand, on average one will run into either energy sources or card-advantage resources (or both) quickly when playing this deck. Either in one’s starting hand or within the first few turns’ worth of drawing cards. The deck’s low average CMC of just over 2,7 also ensures it will almost always be able to make a running start.

Combo: 5

What this deck was built for. They’re everywhere. And it’s not just the infinite combos that one’s opponents will need to watch out for. Many synergies because of the deck’s overall artifact-theme ensure there’s plenty of little avenues one can benefit from.

Army: 1

Practically non-existent and one of the few decks on this page that doesn’t use it to win most of its games. There are a few ways in which it can generate an infinite supply of artifact-creature tokens, though it’s more likely the deck will win through the application of non-combat damage, drain- or mill mechanics.

Commander: 3

The vast majority of the deck’s combos use Sharuum in some way to recur artifacts from graveyards. However, plenty of card-draw, tutors and other types of redundancy have been added to ensure it’s not just her one has to rely on.

Interaction: 4

Plenty of different ways to mess with one’s opponents have been included. This deck can counter spells, destroy/exile opposing permanents, inhibit opposing opportunities, mill opposing libraries and ping opposing players/permanents.

Resilience: 2

There are a few ways in which the deck’s wielder can gain some life-points (four options) and two options that allow one to recur things.

Spellpower: 2

Not a massive number of options on this front, but there are a couple of fun ones to sink results of the deck’s infinite mana-generation abilities into. These options include mass-draw, mass-token generation and mass forced discard.

Total power score: 33

Though this is a deck that will only truly shine once it combo’s off, it makes sure that the waiting time one usually requires to set up such maneuvers, is kept to a minimum. As mentioned, its resources on both the energy- and card advantage spectrums are widely available, making it almost inevitable that something suitable becomes available quickly. And once it’s there, strap in for a lot of laughter because some of the stuff this can pull off is just straight up hilarious. The very convoluted combos that feature Sharuum herself will almost surely create a grin or two.

Though its card choices and part of its tactical setup differ quite a bit from its source of inspiration, credit must be given to that source’s creator, because the deck you’re reading about now wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. Thank you very much oo7x7oo for building the wonderful Sharuum Combos: Infinite Possibilities [PRIMER] . Please look up this amazing deck and give it some love!

Honestly, the concept is straightforward. Just hold out until it’s possible to combo off and kill all opponents. Easy, right? To do this, on average one will need anywhere between three to six turns. This is survivable in four-player pods, unless all opponents gang up on this deck first, to take it out before it can take them out in one go. Be mindful of opponents that are specifically anti-artifact or very counterspell oriented. Keep this deck’s counter spells in reserve specifically to deal with such threats. Don’t worry about opposing creature aggression. Weather it, because before turns are reached during which creature-damage will really start to add up, this deck will have already dealt a lethal blow to all of one’s opponents.

At least three cards in the starting hand ought to be lands (or two lands and a cheap-to-cast rock like Arcane Signet, Mana Vault, Mox Opal or Sol Ring). It is recommended not to start a game without this hand (even if one has to mulligan down to three cards). The ideal hand would also contain some additional ramp and/or low-cost draw options.

Start casting energy-providing artifacts as quickly as possible! Aside from the ones mentioned in the previous section, excellent candidates include Azorius Signet, Basalt Monolith, Dimir Signet, Metalworker, Orzhov Signet, Talisman of Dominance, Talisman of Hierarchy or Talisman of Progress. If possible, also try to bring anything online that cheapens the casting of further artifact spells. This would include options such as Etherium Sculptor, Foundry Inspector or Ugin, the Ineffable. This will be extremely useful later, once one is ready to start slinging spell-combos. Along with these energy resources, make sure to cast Esper Sentinel, Rhystic Study, Sai, Master Thopterist or Sensei's Divining Top for some early card advantage. It is recommended to keep at this until one can easily generate between six to ten mana (half of which should be colored, if possible) per turn, based on artifacts and land.

Considering the number of possible combos in this deck, by this point one has possibly already drawn into one. If not, it’s likely that at least one tutor has made itself available. Use it to dig for combo pieces. It is recommended to go for one of the infinite mana and/or infinite draw combos, as these often form the basis for anything required to finish off the opposition. Some key cards used in many of these combos include Ashnod's Altar, Krark-Clan Ironworks, Minion Reflector, Mirrorworks, Phyrexian Metamorph and Sculpting Steel.

Before casting the spells required for a combo, try to have a counter-resource like Ethersworn Canonist, Mana Drain, Silence or Swan Song in hand, to ensure the combo goes off without a hitch. Grand Abolisher also works well, as it stops any countering efforts outright.

Once all preparations have been made, sit back, relax and enjoy the fireworks brought forth by a combination of spells and permanents. Infinite energy can be used by a whole host of interesting cards to end the game. This includes permanents like Staff of Domination, Urza, Lord High Artificer and Walking Ballista, but also non-permanents like Finale of Glory, Stroke of Genius and Torment of Hailfire. Don’t forget about the other infinite possibilities though, which are just as hilarious. See the next section for interesting ideas.

On to the most fun stuff of this deck description; combos! These have been divided into several subcategories, each according to their primary purpose. Most combos have more than one purpose though, so don’t worry about flexibility. Not all of them are game ending by themselves but will at the very least create an imbalance the opposition is not likely to recover from quickly. Enjoy!

  • Starting position: both permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless mana.
  • Secondary benefits: cast all spells from library (for free).
  1. Activate Urza, Lord High Artificer by tapping the artifact for (mana pool = 1).
  2. Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing the artifact to it (mana pool = 3).
  3. Activate and tap Academy Ruins to place the artifact on top of one’s library (mana pool = 1).
  4. Use Mystic Forge’s ability to cast the artifact from the top of the library (which can be done for free because of Ugin, the Ineffable). As the artifact enters the battlefield, Displacer Kitten triggers.
  5. Resolve Kitten by blinking Ruins.

Repeat from step 1. Now use Urza’s third ability to cast the entire library (for free). This combo is possible without Urza, but would then require an artifact that can generate at least upon tapping. Negating Urza would also mean one can’t use the obtained mana to cast one’s library.

  • Starting position: both permanents are on the battlefield and 2 mana in one’s mana pool.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless mana.
  • Secondary benefits: none.
  1. Tap Basalt Monolith to add 3 to mana pool (mana pool = 5).
  2. Activate Monolith’s untap ability (mana pool = 2).
  3. The untap triggers Rings of Brighthearth’s copying ability. Pay 2 to copy Monolith’s untap ability (mana pool = 0).
  4. The copied untap ability resolves first. Immediately tap Monolith again for 3 mana (mana pool = 3).
  5. Now Monolith’s original untap ability resolves.

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: both permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless mana.
  • Secondary benefits: none.
  1. Tap Basalt Monolith to add 3 to mana pool. Forsaken Monument ensures an additional mana is generated (mana pool = 4).
  2. Activate Monolith’s untap ability (mana pool = 1).

Repeat from step 1.

  1. Remove three +1/+1 counters from Workhorse to generate 3 mana (mana pool = 3).
  2. Sacrifice Workhorse to Altar/Ironworks to generate 2 mana (mana pool = 5).
  3. As Workhorse is put into the graveyard, Deathmantle triggers. Pay 4 to return Workhorse to the battlefield and attach Deathmantle to it (mana pool = 1).

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: Sharuum the Hegemon is in the command zone or in hand. Minion Reflector/Mirrorworks, Krark-Clan Ironworks and a mana-producing artifact that produces at least 1 mana are on the battlefield. can be generated from untapped lands or artifacts.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless or colored mana.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers, allows retrieval of any artifact from the graveyard (once infinite mana has been achieved).
  1. Tap the mana-producing artifact for 1 (mana pool = 1).
  2. Sacrifice the mana-producing artifact to Ironworks (mana pool = 3).
  3. Use the colorless mana from the previous step and tap lands/artifacts for to summon Sharuum (mana pool = 0). As Sharuum enters the battlefield, her ability and Reflector/Mirrorworks’s ability are put on the stack.
  4. Resolve Sharuum’s ability and return the mana-producing artifact from the graveyard.
  5. Tap the mana-producing artifact for 1 (mana pool = 1).
  6. Sacrifice the mana-producing artifact to Ironworks (mana pool = 3).
  7. Resolve the Reflector/Mirrorworks ability and pay 2 to copy Sharuum (mana pool = 1).
  8. Copy Sharuum enters the battlefield. This puts Copy Sharuum’s ability on the stack.
  9. The legend rule happens. Send the original Sharuum to the graveyard.
  10. Copy Sharuum’s ability resolves and targets the original Sharuum.
  11. Sharuum enters the battlefield. Her ability and Reflector/Mirrorworks’s ability are put on the stack.
  12. The legend rule happens. Send Copy Sharuum to the graveyard.

Repeat from step 4. Once one has infinite mana, one can also use this combo to retrieve something other than the mana producing artifact from the graveyard. Fun ideas include Jester's Cap and Spine of Ish Sah.

  • Starting position: Sharuum the Hegemon is in the command zone or in hand. Minion Reflector/Mirrorworks, Grinding Station and a mana-producing artifact that produces at least 3 mana are on the battlefield. 3 can be generated from untapped lands or artifacts.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless mana.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers, mill all opposing libraries.
  1. Tap the mana-producing artifact for 3 (mana pool = 3).
  2. Sacrifice the mana-producing artifact to Station to mill three cards from a library.
  3. Summon Sharuum. As Sharuum enters the battlefield, her ability, Station’s ability and Reflector/Mirrorworks’s ability are put on the stack.
  4. Resolve Station’s ability and untap it.
  5. Resolve Sharuum’s ability and return the mana-producing artifact from the graveyard.
  6. Tap the mana-producing artifact for 3 (mana pool = 6).
  7. Sacrifice the mana-producing artifact to Station to mill three cards from a library..
  8. Resolve the Reflector/Mirrorworks ability and pay 2 to copy Sharuum (mana pool = 4).
  9. Copy Sharuum enters the battlefield. This puts Copy Sharuum’s ability and Station’s ability on the stack.
  10. The legend rule happens. Send the original Sharuum to the graveyard.
  11. Resolve Station’s ability and untap it.
  12. Copy Sharuum’s ability resolves and targets the original Sharuum.
  13. Sharuum enters the battlefield. Her ability, Station’s ability and Reflector/Mirrorworks’s ability are put on the stack.
  14. The legend rule happens. Send Copy Sharuum to the graveyard.

Repeat from step 4. Aside from infinite mana, this combo all mills all opposing libraries.

  • Starting position: Sharuum the Hegemon is in the command zone or in hand. Workhorse and Minion Reflector/Mirrorworks are on the battlefield. can be generated from untapped lands or artifacts.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless or colored mana.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers, infinite Workhorse copies, allows retrieval of any artifact from the graveyard (once infinite mana has been achieved).
  1. Remove four +1/+1 counters from Workhorse (mana pool = 4). Workhorse dies.
  3. Use the colorless mana from the previous step and tap lands/artifacts for to summon Sharuum (mana pool = 1). As Sharuum enters the battlefield, her ability and Reflector/Mirrorworks’s ability are put on the stack.
  4. Resolve Sharuum’s ability and return Workhorse from the graveyard. Put Reflector/Mirrorworks’s ability on the stack.
  5. Remove one +1/+1 counter from Workhorse (mana pool = 2).
  6. Resolve Workhorse’s Reflector/Mirrorworks ability and pay 2 to copy Workhorse (mana pool = 2).
  7. Remove three +1/+1 counters from the original Workhorse (mana pool = 3). Workhorse dies.
  8. Resolve Workhorse’s Reflector/Mirrorworks ability and pay 2 to copy Sharuum (mana pool = 1).
  9. Copy Sharuum enters the battlefield. This puts Copy Sharuum’s ability on the stack.
  10. The legend rule happens. Send the original Sharuum to the graveyard.
  11. Copy Sharuum’s ability resolves and targets the original Sharuum.
  12. Sharuum enters the battlefield. Her ability and Reflector/Mirrorworks’s ability are put on the stack.
  13. The legend rule happens. Send Copy Sharuum to the graveyard.

Repeat from step 4. Once one has infinite mana, one can also use this combo to retrieve something other than Workhorse from the graveyard. Fun ideas include Jester's Cap and Spine of Ish Sah.

  • Starting position: all permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless or colored mana.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers, allows retrieval of any artifact from the graveyard (once infinite mana has been achieved).
  1. Tap the mana producing artifact for at least 1 colorless/colored mana (mana pool = 1).
  2. Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing the mana producing artifact and Sharuum the Hegemon to it, generating four colorless mana (mana pool = 5). Sharuum going to the graveyard triggers Nim Deathmantle.
  3. Resolve Deathmantle by paying four colorless mana (mana pool = 1). This returns Sharuum to the battlefield with Deathmantle attached to her. Sharuum entering the battlefield triggers her ability.
  4. Resolve Sharuum’s ability by retrieving the mana producing artifact from the graveyard.

Repeat from step 1. Once one has infinite mana, one can also use this combo to retrieve something other than the mana producing artifact from the graveyard. Fun ideas include Jester's Cap and Spine of Ish Sah.

  • Starting position: both permanents are on the battlefield. Hand contains at least three artifacts.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless mana.
  • Secondary benefits: none.
  1. Tap Metalworker to generate six colorless mana (mana pool = 6).
  2. Tap Staff of Domination and pay 3 to untap Metalworker (mana pool = 3).
  3. Pay 1 to untap Staff (mana pool = 2).

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: both permanents are on the battlefield. Hand contains at least two artifacts.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless mana.
  • Secondary benefits: none.
  1. Tap Metalworker to generate four colorless mana (mana pool = 4).
  2. Tap Voltaic Key and pay 1 to put Key’s untap ability on the stack (mana pool = 3). This triggers Rings of Brighthearth.
  3. Resolve Rings and pay 2 to copy Key’s untap ability (mana pool = 1).
  4. Resolve Key’s copied untap ability on itself.
  5. Resolve the original Key’s untap ability on Metalworker.

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: all permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless mana.
  • Secondary benefits: none.
  1. Tap Mana Vault/Thran Dynamo to generate three colorless mana + an additional colorless mana thanks to Forsaken Monument (mana pool = 4).
  2. Tap Voltaic Key and pay 1 to put Key’s untap ability on the stack (mana pool = 3). This triggers Rings of Brighthearth.
  3. Resolve Rings and pay 2 to copy Key’s untap ability (mana pool = 1).
  4. Resolve Key’s copied untap ability on itself.
  5. Resolve the original Key’s untap ability on Vault/Dynamo.

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: all permanents are on the battlefield and the ability to generate 1 colorless mana.
  • Primary benefits: infinite colorless mana.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers.
  1. Sacrifice Sword of the Meek to Thopter Foundry and pay 1 to generate a 1/1 Thopter (mana pool = 0).
  2. The Thopter entering the battlefield triggers Sword’s return to the battlefield (attached to the Thopter).
  3. Activate Ashnod's Altar/Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing the Thopter to it, which generates two colorless mana (mana pool = 2).

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: all permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: infinite .
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers, cast all spells from library (for free).
  1. Activate Urza, Lord High Artificer by tapping Sword of the Meek to add (mana pool = 1).
  2. Sacrifice Sword of the Meek to Thopter Foundry and pay 1 to generate a 1/1 Thopter (mana pool = 0).
  3. The Thopter entering the battlefield triggers Sword’s return to the battlefield (attached to the Thopter).
  4. Repeat from step 1 to generate infinite Thopters.
  5. Tap the infinite Thopters with Urza’s second ability to add infinite .

Now use Urza’s third ability to cast the entire library (for free). Adding Time Sieve would also allow one to create infinite turns.

  • Starting position: Displacer Kitten and Teferi, Time Raveler are on the battlefield, and the mana rock in hand.
  • Primary benefits: (near) infinite colorless/colored mana.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers, draw all the deck’s cards.
  1. Cast the mana rock (examples: Sol Ring or Mox Opal). This triggers Kitten
  2. Resolve Kitten and blink Teferi.
  3. Activate the mana rock and add its mana to the mana pool.
  4. Activate Teferi’s second ability by removing three loyalty counters and return the mana rock to hand and draw a card.

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: all permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: draw all the deck’s cards.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers.
  1. Tap Sensei's Divining Top to draw a card. This puts it on top of the library.
  2. Use Mystic Forge’s top-decking ability to cast Sensei’s Divining Top from the library. Because Etherium Sculptor/Foundry Inspector/Ugin, the Ineffable are on the battlefield, this costs 0 mana.

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: Sensei's Divining Top is in hand and all other permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: draw all the deck’s cards.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers.
  1. Cast Top from your hand for 0 (because of Etherium Sculptor/Foundry Inspector/Ugin, the Ineffable).
  2. Top entering the battlefield triggers Displacer Kitten.
  3. Kitten blinks The One Ring (thereby untapping it
  4. Tap Ring to put a burden counter on it and draw Sensei’s Divining Top.

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: all permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: draw all the deck’s cards.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers, infinite mana (if mana rock can generate 2 or more mana).
  1. Tap Sensei's Divining Top to draw a card. This puts it on top of the library.
  2. Tap the mana rock to generate at least 1 mana (mana pool = 1).
  3. Use the 1 mana and Mystic Forge’s top-decking ability to cast Sensei’s Divining Top from the library. This triggers Displacer Kitten’s ability.
  4. Resolve Kitten’s ability by blinking the mana rock (which returns to the battlefield untapped).

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: Sculpting Steel is in hand, the other permanents on the battlefield. The ability to generate 2 colorless mana.
  • Primary benefits: destroy all permanents.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers, infinite mana (if Ugin, the Ineffable is involved).
  1. Tap permanents to generate 2 mana.
  2. Cast Sculpting Steel with this mana (mana pool = 0) as a copy of Spine of Ish Sah. Notice you only need 2 mana at most to cast Steel because of Etherium Sculptor/Foundry Inspector/Ugin, the Ineffable. When Steel enters the battlefield, its ability triggers.
  3. Resolve Steel’s ability and destroy a permanent.
  4. Sacrifice Steel to Krark-Clan Ironworks to generate two mana (mana pool = 2). This also triggers Steel to return to hand.

Repeat from step 1. If Ugin, the Ineffable is on the battlefield during this combo, it also yields infinite mana.

  1. Tap permanents to generate at least 3 mana.
  2. Cast Phyrexian Metamorph/Sculpting Steel and copy Sharuum.
  3. As Metamorph/Steel enters the battlefield, its ability is triggered.
  4. The legend rule happens. Send Sharuum to the battlefield. This triggers Disciple of the Vault.
  5. Disciple’s ability resolves, dealing 1 damage to an opponent.
  6. Resolve Metamorph/Steel’s ability, targeting Sharuum. Sharuum enters the battlefield. This triggers Sharuum’s ability.
  7. The legend rule happens. Send Metamorph/Steel to the graveyard. This triggers Disciple of the Vault.
  8. Disciple’s ability resolves, dealing 1 damage to an opponent.
  9. Sharuum’s ability resolves, targeting Metamorph/Steel.

Repeat from step 3.

  • Starting position: all permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: deal infinite damage to opponents.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers.
  1. Sacrifice Sharuum the Hegemon to Krark-Clan Ironworks to generate two colorless mana (mana pool = 2). This triggers Nim Deathmantle and Disciple of the Vault.
  2. Disciple’s ability resolves, dealing 1 damage to an opponent.
  3. Sacrifice Ironworks to itself to generate two colorless mana (mana pool = 4). This triggers Disciple of the Vault.
  4. Disciple’s ability resolves, dealing 1 damage to an opponent.
  5. Resolve Deathmantle’s ability to return Sharuum to the battlefield. Deathmantle becomes attached to Sharuum (mana pool = 0). Sharuum entering the battlefield triggers her ability.
  6. Resolve Sharuum’s ability, targeting Ironworks. Ironworks returns to the battlefield.

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: all permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: deal infinite damage to opponents.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers.
  1. Remove four +1/+1 counters from Workhorse (mana pool = 4). Workhorse dies. This triggers Nim Deathmantle and Disciple of the Vault.
  2. Disciple’s ability resolves, dealing 1 damage to an opponent.
  3. Deathmantle’s ability resolves and returns Workhorse to the battlefield. Deathmantle becomes attached to Sharuum (mana pool = 0).

Repeat from step 1.

  • Starting position: Phyrexian Metamorph/Sculpting Steel is in hand. All other permanents are on the battlefield. Possible to generate at least 3 colorless mana.
  • Primary benefits: mill all opposing libraries.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers.
  1. Use enough mana sources to cast Metamorph/Steel and copy Sharuum.
  2. Metamorph/Steel entering the battlefield triggers Metamorph/Steel’s ability and Altar of the Brood’s ability.
  3. The legend rule happens. Send Sharuum to the graveyard.
  4. Resolve Altar’s ability and mill cards from every opposing library.
  5. Resolve Metamorph/Steel’s ability and target Sharuum.
  6. Sharuum enters the battlefield from the graveyard. This triggers Metamorph/Steel’s ability and Altar of the Brood’s ability.
  7. The legend rule happens. Send Metamorph/Steel to the graveyard.
  8. Resolve Altar’s ability and mill cards from every opposing library.
  9. Resolve Sharuum’s ability and target Metamorph/Steel.
    10. Repeat from step 2.
  • Starting position: Sharuum the Hegemon is in hand. All other permanents are on the battlefield. 3 can be generated from untapped lands or artifacts.
  • Primary benefits: mill all opposing libraries.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers.
  1. Tap the mana-producing artifact for 2 (mana pool = 2).
  2. Tap Grinding Station and sacrifice the mana-producing artifact to it. This mills three cards from the top of a library.
  3. Use 3 to summon Sharuum. As Sharuum enters the battlefield, her ability, Station and Minion Reflector/Mirrorworks’s ability are put on the stack.
  4. Resolve Station’s trigger to untap it.
  5. Resolve Sharuum’s ability and return the mana-producing artifact from the graveyard. This triggers Station’s untap ability again (but it’s already untapped).
  6. Tap the mana-producing artifact for 2 (mana pool = 4).
  7. Tap Grinding Station and sacrifice the mana-producing artifact to it. This mills three cards from the top of a library.
  8. Resolve the Reflector/Mirrorworks ability and pay 2 to copy Sharuum (mana pool = 2).
  9. Copy Sharuum enters the battlefield. This puts Copy Sharuum’s ability and Station’s untap ability on the stack.
  10. The legend rule happens. Send the original Sharuum to the graveyard.
  11. Resolve Station’s trigger to untap it.
  12. Copy Sharuum’s ability resolves and targets the original Sharuum.
  13. Sharuum enters the battlefield. Her ability. Station’s ability and Reflector/Mirrorworks’s ability are put on the stack.
  14. The legend rule happens. Send Copy Sharuum to the graveyard.
Repeat from step 4.
  • Starting position: all permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: mill all opposing libraries.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers.
  1. Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Sharuum the Hegemon to it, thereby generating two colorless mana (mana pool = 2). This triggers Nim Deathmantle.
  2. Activate Ironworks by sacrificing it to itself, thereby generating two colorless mana (mana pool = 4).
  3. Resolve Deathmantle’s ability to return Sharuum to the battlefield. Deathmantle becomes attached to Sharuum (mana pool = 0). Sharuum entering the battlefield triggers her ability. And Altar of the Brood’s ability.
  4. Resolve Altar’s ability to mill all opposing libraries.
  5. Resolve Sharuum’s ability, targeting Ironworks. Ironworks returns to the battlefield. This triggers Altar’s ability.
  6. Resolve Altar’s ability to mill all opposing libraries.
Repeat from step 1.
  • Starting position: all permanents are on the battlefield. Ability to generate at least 5 mana.
  • Primary benefits: infinite turns.
  • Secondary benefits: infinite ETB/LTB triggers, infinite Thopter tokens.
  1. Activate Thopter Foundry by sacrificing Sword of the Meek and paying 1.
  2. Foundry generates a 1/1 Thopter. This triggers Sword to return to the battlefield (attached to Thopter).
  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until there are five Thopter tokens.
  4. Activate Time Sieve by tapping it and sacrificing five Thopters to it.
Repeat from step 1 the next turn for infinite turns. Adding Urza, Lord High Artificer to this combo allows one to generate infinite as well by tapping each generated Thopter for mana.
  • Starting position: The One Ring in hand, 4 mana available. Remaining permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: protection from everything every turn.
  • Secondary benefits: additional draw per turn + other benefit (depends on sac outlet used).
  1. Cast The One Ring.
  2. Add a Burden counter to Ring by tapping it and draw a card.
  3. Sacrifice Ring to the sac outlet, gaining the benefit from this.
  4. Activate Emry, Lurker of the Loch by tapping it, target Ring.
Repeat from step 1 the next turn.
  • Starting position: The One Ring in hand, 4 mana available. Remaining permanents are on the battlefield.
  • Primary benefits: protection from everything every turn.
  • Secondary benefits: additional draw per turn.
  1. Cast The One Ring. This triggers Displacer Kitten.
  2. Resolve Kitten to blink Teferi, Time Raveler. He enters the battlefield with his starting amount of loyalty points.
  3. Activate Teferi’s second loyalty ability and return Ring to hand. This also allows one to draw a card.
Repeat from step 1 the next turn.
A lot of the combos mentioned above can be made even more devastating by adding a single additional card to them. This is especially useful to combos that don’t straight away end games. Some ideas one could use:
  • Add Sai, Master Thopterist to any combo that repeatedly must recast artifacts. This will ensure that he generates a new Thopter each time.
  • Add Displacer Kitten to any combo that continually recasts non-creature spells, allowing it to blink anything that could result in new benefits from things leaving/entering the battlefield.
  • Add Ugin, Eye of the Storms to any combo that continually recasts artifact spells, as this allows for the exile of all opposing, colored permanents.
  • Add Staff of Domination to any infinite mana combo. Ensures one can also draw one’s deck, gain infinite life and tap every opposing creature.
  • Add Walking Ballista to any infinite mana combo. One can either cast it after infinite mana has been obtained to make it infinitely big OR add counters to it when it’s already on the battlefield. After that, it’s a matter of converting counter-removal into damage to kill off everything/body.
  • Cast Finale of Glory once you’ve obtained infinite mana, making sure your army is big enough to kill anything.
  • Cast Torment of Hailfire once you’ve obtained infinite mana, ensuring that every opponent’s life is completely drained.
Reliable sources of mana, and some utility:
Energy is required to fuel this deck:
  • Arcane Signet: whatever color of mana needed, at the cost of just 2. No downsides.
  • Azorius Signet/Dimir Signet/Orzhov Signet: they cost 1 to use, but they provide two mana of different colors each. Great deal during most phases of a game.
  • Basalt Monolith: several ways in this deck to make Monolith a very productive mana battery.
  • Dark Ritual: potentially having three mana available on turn 1 is just insane value.
  • Etherium Sculptor/Foundry Inspector: cheapens artifact-casting by 1; extremely useful in an artifact-themed deck and essential for some of the combos featured.
  • Mana Vault: three mana at the cost of 1, and there are so many other ways of untapping it other than paying 4.
  • Metalworker: with several artifacts in hand this card can generate an amazing amount of mana.
  • Mox Opal: sure, it requires metalcraft to work, but in an artifact deck that will always be achieved.
  • Sol Ring: best mana rock ever. Period.
  • Talisman of Dominance/Talisman of Hierarchy/Talisman of Progress: colorless mana OR colored mana. What’s one life point if the colored mana kick-starts the winning combo?
  • Thran Dynamo: provides lots of colorless mana for a one-time investment of just 4.
  • Ugin, the Ineffable: beast of a cheapener of artifact spells. Even allows one to play tokens which can be sacrificed for more useful spells.
  • Workhorse: grab its counters and remove them for colorless mana. Then it’s off to the glue factory!
That’s not enough cards! This is:
  • Demonic Tutor: the most efficient, recognizable tutor in MTG-history. Ideal for not just finding any combo-piece, but also to use it immediately.
  • Emry, Lurker of the Loch: the graveyard doesn’t need to be the end of one’s artifacts. She allows an extension of one’s hand into the beyond.
  • Enlightened Tutor: any artifacts one needs, are at one’s beckon and call.
  • Esper Sentinel: non-creature spells are cast all the time, so this wonderful draw-enabler will always pay off.
  • Fabricate: the ideal tutor for an artifact-themed deck.
  • Lim-Dul's Vault: excellent for finding several combo-pieces at once.
  • Mystic Forge: extends one’s hand with the top of the library, where artifacts are concerned at least.
  • Mystical Tutor: can grab an even more powerful spell, especially handy to find more powerful tutors or a game-ending instant/sorceries.
  • Rhystic Study: any opposing spell is taxed, most of which will not be paid.
  • Sai, Master Thopterist: any surplus artifacts can be sacrificed for some more draw.
  • Sensei's Divining Top: filtering and draw in a neat little package. Because of its low cost, as well as the low cost of its abilities, it’s very easy to abuse to one’s advantage in this deck.
  • Stroke of Genius: mass draw that can use infinite mana combos in this deck.
  • Teferi, Time Raveler: efficient at stopping opponents from countering one’s magic (which prevents them messing with the deck’s combos) AND allows one to benefit from returning stuff to hand (not just with an additional draw, but also by enabling more ETB triggers).
  • Tezzeret the Seeker: primarily in here because he’s a repeatable Fabricate, but the untapping of artifacts (mana rocks in particular) is great too.
  • The One Ring: every turn this draws even more cards, and it provides protection from everything on the turn that it’s cast (which is why this deck has the means to cast it every turn).
  • Vampiric Tutor: find whatever is needed for a pittance of mana and a bit of life.
Once the combos start, opponents may not interfere:
  • Ethersworn Canonist: slows down opponents considerably if their deck isn’t also artifact themed.
  • Grand Abolisher: counterspells are a thing of the past while he’s guarding the battlefield. Ideal to have before one combo’s off.
  • Mana Drain: not just a counterspell, but a useful mana-battery for one’s next main-phase.
  • Silence: no, they may not speak! At least, not during this turn …
  • Swan Song: the counterspell with the consolation prize. They can’t have that spell, but they may have a bird instead.
These will all work nicely together (or with other bits):
  • Altar of the Brood: most combos in this deck will feature massive amounts of ETB, so having this around ensures opponents’ libraries will be emptied at an alarming rate.
  • Ashnod's Altar: sacrificing 1/1 tokens to this is just a joy; so much benefit from such a simple act. It’s delicious.
  • Disciple of the Vault: ow boy, will artifacts die in this deck! Repeatedly! So let the masses suffer the consequences!
  • Displacer Kitten: this epitome of cuteness is not just fluffy and cuddly. With enough casting going on, it’s exceedingly deadly at enabling other permanents’ ETB effects.
  • Forsaken Monument: this doesn’t just increase artifact mana production, but land’s mana production as well! The boosts to colorless creatures (hello 3/3 Thopters!) and colorless casting life-gain is also extremely useful in this deck.
  • Grinding Station: why mill only one card at a time, when one can mill three? The fact that it untaps after every artifact ETB is just insane in here.
  • Krark-Clan Ironworks: one of the best combo pieces of the deck. Mana rocks sacrificed to it can be tapped first for more mana, making it easier to have enough mana available to recycle the rocks repeatedly.
  • Minion Reflector/Mirrorworks: so much fun to combine these with Sharuum the Hegemon in various ways. Especially Works is amazing, as its tokens remain on the battlefield if one doesn’t decide to copy legends, making it extremely well-suited to make copies of various useful artifacts.
  • Nim Deathmantle: next to Sharuum, this is an excellent additional resource to bring back creatures from the grave.
  • Phyrexian Metamorph/Sculpting Steel: specifically added to copy Sharuum and create plenty of LTB/ETB triggers due to the legend rule taking effect.
  • Rings of Brighthearth: copying artifact abilities can be very effective. This card a staple in some of the infinite mana combos featured here because it can create additional untaps.
  • Spine of Ish Sah: blinking this on and off the battlefield is absolutely devastating to most opposing strategies.
  • Staff of Domination: because it can untap itself, once one has infinite mana all the other abilities it has can be used indefinitely.
  • Sword of the Meek: just a fun combo piece to be used in conjunction with the generation of Thopters.
  • Thopter Foundry: aside from being an excellent combo piece, it can also generate chump flyers.
  • Time Sieve: creating token artifacts is something this deck can do very well. Sacrificing just five of these for an additional turn is therefore very powerful.
  • Voltaic Key: cheap way to untap artifacts, but most importantly: mana artifacts
Not part of the main strategy, but still incredibly useful:
  • Finale of Glory: combined with infinite mana, this generates the largest soldier and Angel army ever! Fun way to close out games with.
  • Jester's Cap: when Ice Age came out, this was one of the most valuable cards in the set, and for good reason! Combined with the artifact recursion in this deck, this card becomes positively lethal for any deck that relies on a few key cards.
  • Torment of Hailfire: with enough mana pumped into this, it kills off all opponents.
  • Ugin, Eye of the Storms: this is such an incredible planeswalker in a deck that’s majority colorless. The killing of colored permanents for every colorless permanent his controller casts is so strong. And that’s just his passive! Mana ability, card-draw, life-gain and to top it off, cast every artifact from the deck at no cost!
  • Urza, Lord High Artificer: he’s another infinite-mana sink that one can use to close out games. In the meantime, he’ll arrange for a powerful combatant and the ability to generate blue mana based on tapping artifacts; sweet!
Appreciate the time you took to read this primer. Hopefully it was entertaining and useful to you. If so, feel free to leave a +1 and/or feedback of any kind in the comments below. Thanks again!

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Revision 1 See all

(4 weeks ago)

+1 Ancient Tomb main
-1 Arcane Denial main
+1 Arcane Signet main
-1 Blasting Station main
-1 Bloodstained Mire main
-1 Caltrops main
-1 Choked Estuary main
-1 Chrome Mox main
-1 Command Beacon main
-1 Counterspell main
+1 Dark Ritualfoil main
-1 Defense Grid main
+1 Displacer Kitten main
+1 Drowned Catacomb main
+1 Emry, Lurker of the Loch main
-1 Entomb main
+1 Esper Sentinel main
-1 Exotic Orchard main
+1 Finale of Glory main
+1 Forsaken Monument main
and 63 other change(s)