In the now-deprecated Frontier format, there was an archetype known as UR Ensoul. The basic idea was that you combined Darksteel Citadel with Ensoul Artifact to make a 5/5 indestructible Artifact Land Creature and put your opponent on a 4 turn clock. Having built a deck of this type in the past, I decided to make a Pioneer variant.
Strengths
Ensouled Darksteel Citadels are very hard to deal with. Unless your opponent has enchantment removal, it's a very durable beefstick that forces your opponent to throw their own creatures in front of it at the very least. You'll be able to chuck your hand onto the field within the first few turns and blow through your opponent's life total. It's an aggro deck with a big headline "combo" to boot.
Weaknesses
As mentioned prior, this is primarily an aggro deck, so there's not a lot of card advantage offered within. There's a few ways to get some cards back in your hand, but you'll need to decide if you have the mana or time to recoup your hand. You better hope that you have alpha strike damage on your opponent by the time you run out of cards, which is typically before the first 5 turns. Since this deck contains blue, you have a few nice counterspells to protect your dudes, but the lack of extra mana means you have to make some choices between a better board state and active protection.
Mainboard
Chandra, Torch of Defiance:
The top-end of this deck. Adds pseudo card-draw, pressures the opponent, and adds mana in a pinch. You'll probably never use the -7, but everything else will benefit you in some way or another.
Darksteel Citadel:
Do I really have to say it? Makes half of the deck's primary combo. Adds colorless mana or serves as a 5/5 indestructible attacker.
Ensoul Artifact:
As above, serves as your primary "animator" of artifacts. You can staple this on to basically any of your artifacts and expect something good to happen.
Expressive Iteration:
Anticipate, but the better Izzet version of it. Though your lack of surplus mana might result in some missed "play from exiles", you can at least sort through the top three cards of your library and get card advantage.
Ghostfire Blade:
The cheap way to power up your stuff. One mana to play, and another to strap to basically all of your creatures.
Gingerbrute:
I can't believe this card was printed at common. It's a haster, has a great evasion ability for one mana, and can be chewed up for extra life in a pinch. Overall, an excellent addition to the deck and a key part of your offense.
Hope of Ghirapur:
Basically a cheap artifact flier, but has a nice technique that prevents your opponent from screwing with your board state in a pinch.
Lizard Blades:
You can turn this into a 5/5 double striker or slap it on to another body for double strike as well, nice and flexible. Only two copies are included since you need an enabler for it, but it's a great way to absolutely whoop some tail.
Metallic Rebuke:
A mana leak that you can potentially make cheaper through tapped artifacts. You can hard cast it in a pinch, but it's a great fit in this deck. Only two copies to keep the curve down and prevent reliance on protection-oriented measures.
Ogre-Head Helm:
Though it's only a two-of (sharing slots with Lizard Blades), it's a nice variant of Bomat Courier that doesn't need to build a stockpile. You can re-fill your hand nicely, provided that your opponent is open for assault. Otherwise,
Play with Fire:
Shock, but you scry 1 if you go for face. How can you say no to that? Not as powerful as other 3 or 4 damage burn spells, but 2 damage gets rid of most bear-like creatures. You'll side in higher damage solutions anyway if it becomes a problem.
Shadowspear:
Another one-of, this helps solve the problem of pesky trolls that your opponent fences their field with. You won't want to rely on it, but a clutch Shadowspear draw can save your bacon more often than you might expect.
Shrapnel Blast:
I really hope you know what this card is supposed to do.
Skilled Animator:
Another four Ensouls in creature form. Also serves as a nice blocker, but can sometimes be anti-synergy when you need to use a hand full of artifacts.
Stubborn Denial:
Just say "no"! You'll usually have the ferocious trigger active, so it's basically a one mana counterspell on your side. An extra two are available on the sideboard in case your opponent wants to make your life miserable with a hand full of answers.
The Royal Scions:
Smug copter is banned, but this works as a pretty good substitute. Both of the +1s are nice effects, since looting and trample with extra damage always help your cause. The only issue is that the Scions can't attack on their own, but you probably expected that anyway.
