Magic Origins (MTG) Assemble Victory Intro Pack Deck Review

by Richard Rowell, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

The Magic Origins Intro Packs are not the strongest ever we've seen. The Elf-heavy Hunting Pack intro pack, though, is one of the better value decks we've seen in a long time. The artifact-based Assemble Victory Intro Pack offers value in a different way, giving you a fascinating assortment of cards that actually work pretty well together.

Assemble Victory is led by Chandra's parents, Pia and Kiran Nalaar, an okay card in their own right. Like every Intro Pack there are some head-scratcher card choices, but it highlights some of the more interesting commons and uncommons in the set.

Let's take a look at the deck list;



CREATURES
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
2 Bonded Construct
1 Runed Servitor
1 Subterranean Scout
1 Bellows Lizard
1 Maritime Guard
2 Chief of the Foundry
2 Ghirapur Gearcrafter
1 Ramroller
1 Thopter Engineer
2 Guardian Automaton
2 Aspiring Aeronaut
1 Separatist Voidmage
1 Whirler Rogue
2 Reclusive Artificer
2 Volcanic Rambler
1 Mage-Ring Responder

NON-CREATURE SPELLS
1 Prism Ring
2 Alchemist's Vial
3 Infectious Bloodlust
1 Disperse
2 Ghirapur Aether Grid
2 Artificer's Epiphany
1 Meteorite

LANDS
1 Evolving Wilds
13 Mountain
10 Island

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The rares in the deck are Pia and Kiran and Mage-Ring Responder. As you'll see with this deck, Thopters are definitely a theme in Magic Origins. Getting three creatures for 2RR is pretty good, actually, but the 2R ability is a bit overcosted to be used on a consistent basis.

Mage-Ring Responder needs to have a way to be untapped outside of its own ability to be much good. The players most excited about it are artifact players in Commander. That's fine, but while the Responder has nice raw power, it doesn't need to be in a Constructed deck.

The best creature in the deck is actually Chief of the Foundry. It was about time that artifact creatures had a Lord. Yeah, Steel Overseer is better because he taps and gives all your artifact creatures +1/+1 counters. But this guy is pure value.

It gets even better with Bonded Construct, a 2/1 for one mana.  Unfortunately, it's unable to attack alone.. But with a Chief of the Foundry on board, that's a bunch of 2/3's that can attack together.

Unfortunately, the other artifact creatures in the deck aren't super exciting. Guardian Automaton is a 3/3 for 4 that gives you 3 life when it dies. That's fine, just not super inspiring. Runed Servitor is a reprint from Rise of the Eldrazi, and when it dies, every player draws a card. The last one is Ramroller, a 2/3 for 3 that has to attack every turn if able - but it gains +2/+0 with another artifact on board.

But there are decent other creatures in the deck. Ghirapur Gearcrafter is a 2/1 for 2R, which doesn't sound great, but he comes with a 1/1 flying Thopter. Aespiring Aeronaut is a 1/2 flyer for 3U that also comes with a Thopter. Whirler Rogue is also pretty good, a 2UU with a 2/2 body that gives you 2 1/1 Thopters. It has another ability that allows you to tap two untapped artifacts you control and a target creature you control can't be blocked until end of turn. The best of these that come with a Thopter is the Thopter Engineer, which is a 1/3 for 2R but also gives all of your artifact creatures Haste.

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Reclusive Artifcer is one of the most fascinating creatures in the deck. She's only a 2/3 for 2UR, but she has Haste and when she enters the battlefield, you may have her deal damage to a target creature equal to the number of artifacts you control. This can make for some pretty good removal

One of the other decent creatures in the deck is the Goblin Subterranean Scout. He's a 2/1 for 1R and when he enters the battlefield, target creature with power 2 or less can't be blocked that turn. That doesn't sound too exciting but there is a trick to it. With a creature like Goblin Piledriver or Goblin Rabblemaster that gains power when it attacks, you can use the scout's ability pre-combat and deal a whole ton of unblocked damage.. Talk about Goblins running you over.

Then, of course, you have some strange choices like Bellows Lizard and Maritime Guard, which make no sense at all in the deck. Volcanic Rambler is an odd choice, although a 6/4 for 5R isn't bad at common, and the ability to ping a player for 1 damage for 2R is... okay. But what's it doing in an artifact deck? Separatist Voidmage is also an odd inclusion in this deck. It's a 2/2 for 3U that returns a creature to its owner's hand, which is fine, but just really odd here.

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The deck contains two very interesting Enchantments, which are interesting for very different reasons. Infectious Bloodlust is an Aura for 1R that gives a creature +2/+1, haste, and has to attack each turn if able. What's most interesting about it is that when the enchanted creature dies, you get to search your deck for another copy of Infectious Bloodlust and add it to your hand. While I don't see much synergy with this deck, it's an interesting Enchantment for sure.

Ghirapur Aether Grid makes a lot of sense in this deck. By tapping two untapped artifact you control, the Grid deals 1 damage to target creature or player. With the number of Thopters that this deck can create, that's a lot of potential damage that can be dealt.

Artificer's Epiphany draws you 2 cards at instant speed for 2U, which is pretty good - although it has a drawback that if you control no artifacts, you must discard a card. But I rarely see that being a problem. Alchemist's Vial is a useful artifact that costs two mana to cast and draws you a card, which is pretty good. It can be sacrificed for 1 mana to prevent a target creature from attacking or blocking. It's an okay ability, but the card draw is the best thing about it.

Prism Ring is an artifact that lets you choose a color and gain life every time a spell of the chosen color is cast by you. It's not as good as the other lifegain artifacts from past Core Sets, because it doesn't count spells cast by opponents. It's pretty mediocre.. Meteorite is cute, as we saw in Magic 2015, but it's not meant for this deck. It's not worth it as a mana rock that has a Shock ability, not for 5 mana.

Disperse is a useful card that returns a nonland permanent to its owner's hand. But one copy doesn't really do anything for anyone.

So how about improving the deck?

In the short term, adding Ensoul Artifact and Shrapnel Blast would make the most sense for improving this deck. But they are in Magic 2015, and won't remain in Standard that much longer. That being said, if you don't care about playing in Standard Constructed tournaments, these cards are really good. Ensoul Artifact makes all those Thopters you'll make huge threats and Shrapnel Blast can sacrifice a Thopter or any of your other artifacts to deal 5 damage to a target creature or player.

So let's max out on the Thopter creation and include some other useful stuff.

CREATURES
2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
4 Bonded Construct
4 Chief of the Foundry
4 Ghirapur Gearcrafter
4 Thopter Engineer
2 Whirler Rogue
4 Ornithopter

NON-CREATURE SPELLS
4 Ensoul Artifact
3 Shrapnel Blast
2 Artificer's Epiphany
2 Ghirapur Aether Grid
1 Thopter Spy Network

LANDS
4 Swiftwater Cliffs
11 Mountain
9 Island

While it will be rotating out of Standard alongside Ensoul Artifact and Shrapnel Blast, Ornithopter is the best card ever for this deck. Not only is it a Thopter and a great target for Ensoul Artifact, but it costs 0 mana and has synergy with everything in the deck.

Another copy of Pia and Kiran is added for consistency. The Bonded Constructs, Chief of the Foundries, Gearcrafters, and Engineers are all maxed out as they're the best cards in the deck. Another Whirler Rogue is added, as well.

For the non-creature spells, everything by the Artifcer's Epiphanies and Aether Grids are dropped. 4 Ensoul Artifact and 3 Shrapnel Blast are added. Also, one copy of Thopter Spy Network from Magic Origins is added.

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The Spy Network is going to give you a lot more Thopters, as long as you control an artifact. Also, whenever one or more artifact creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, you draw a card. It's a card that's already drawn tons of interest from Commander players. Will it work in Constructed? We'll see just how valuable it is.

How will the deck fare after it loses Ornithopter, Ensoul Artifact, and Shrapnel Blast after rotation? That's hard to say.. There's Renowned Weaponsmith in Fate Reforged that can help with casting the artifact creatures, and will take the place of Ornithopter. The deck would focus more around Ghirapur Aether Grid and run more straight burn spells like Exquisite Firecraft and the like.

When Battle for Zendikar rolls around, we'll see what artifact support emerges. Until then, this deck is a decent place to start for anyone looking to play red/blue artifacts.

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