Too-Specific Top 10 - Timey-Wimey

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Day of Judgment" href="#" target="_blank">Day of Judgment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.vincentproce.com/">Vincent Proce</a>)</h6>
<h1>Hasta La <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismatic Vista" href="#" target="_blank">Prismatic Vista</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Baby</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Diabolic Intent</em>, where we build decks around iconic villains and their diabolical schemes!</p>
<p>While most villains perform their evil deeds due to some form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corrupted Conscience" href="#" target="_blank">Corrupted Conscience</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, our featured guest this week is notable for lacking a conscience, entirely. Everyone say hello to Skynet!</p>
<p>When it comes to the most famous evil computers, Skynet is right at the top of the list, probably only matched by HAL 9000 (but when it comes to body count, HAL falls a wee bit behind). Skynet's fame was derived primarily from its two big plays: nuking humanity, and sending Terminators back in time to kill Sarah/John Connor before John could grow up to defeat Skynet.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Let's Do The Time Warp</h2>
<p>This strategy of "send a killing machine back in time to kill your enemies before they become a threat" should translate well into <em>Magic</em>. The most straightforward time manipulation mechanic is extra turns, but that's really more time <em>stretching </em>than time <em>travel, </em>and that's just not gonna cut it for us. How would we actually go about sending a dangerous creature "back in time"? That would probably mean sending it to the beginning of the game, but that's ridiculous; surely there isn't a card designed for such a specific purpose and intention?</p>
<p>Is there?</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">There Is</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karn Liberated"></div></div>
<p>Well, would you look at that! Turns out <em>Magic</em> lore has its very own "robot built to screw with the past", with a design to back it up. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn Liberated" href="#" target="_blank">Karn Liberated</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s first two abilities are most often used on our opponents, but we can just as easily target ourselves with his first ability if we're looking to send back a very specific threat. And speaking of threats, we can't just send any old battlecruiser to deal with our enemies. No, we have to send...</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Terminator</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blightsteel Colossus"></div></div>
<p>Robot? Check. Virtually unstoppable? Check. Deadly? CHECK. This deck will, of course, include a few alternative Terminators, but this is by far the best, both in terms of utility and flavor, so if we manage to ult <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn Liberated" href="#" target="_blank">Karn Liberated</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> after exiling <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blightsteel Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Blightsteel Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with one of his +4 activations, we can hunt down our opponents without "pity, remorse, or fear." But how do we keep Karn alive for two turns after he comes out? If only we had more time. Wait a minute, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCIx3IrKk0A">we've got all the time we want: we've got a time machine!</a></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Janky Combo<span class="ILfuVd NA6bn"><span class="e24Kjd">™</span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Chain Veil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Voltaic Key"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lightning Greaves"></div></div>
<p>With the right pieces (and a truckload of mana), it's possible to pull the whole thing off in one turn. If you understandably can't bring yourself to process the sheer non-viability of this combo, here's a quick breakdown:</p>
<p>1) Activate <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn Liberated" href="#" target="_blank">Karn Liberated</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s +4, targeting yourself, exiling <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blightsteel Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Blightsteel Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>2) Activate <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Chain Veil" href="#" target="_blank">The Chain Veil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>3) +4 karn again, exiling <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>4) Use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voltaic Key" href="#" target="_blank">Voltaic Key</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to untap <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Chain Veil" href="#" target="_blank">The Chain Veil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>5) Activate <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Chain Veil" href="#" target="_blank">The Chain Veil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>6) Ult <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn Liberated" href="#" target="_blank">Karn Liberated</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, go first, equip <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>7) Watch your opponents struggle to find answers.</p>
<p>8) Laugh.</p>
<p>9) Terminate.</p>
<p>I'm sure you've noticed the huge flavor win of this whole evil robot combo being <em>completely colorless.</em> As much as I would love to make the whole deck colorless, we'd be limiting our options too much. Plus, maybe we should pick a commander who can help us pay the exorbitant 21 mana that it would cost to pull off this combo in one turn.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Commander - Kykar, Wind's Fury</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kykar, Wind&#039;s Fury"></div></div>
<p>Jeskai will prove to be exactly the colors we need to implement our remaining Skynet schemes. Our final decklist will only run about 15 creatures, which means Kykar will be a big help for pulling off our crazy time travel shenanigans, which we do have a few different (expensive) ways to execute.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Lets Do The Time Warp (Again)</h2>
<p>Another way to effectively "restart the game" is to completely reset the board state. But before we do that, we'll need to send a Terminator on a little journey with one of these.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mistmeadow Witch"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teferi&#039;s Time Twist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jhoira of the Ghitu"></div></div>
<p>With our Terminator safely hurtling through time, we're free to "rewind" to the beginning of the game, ensuring that our Terminator arrives at the right temporal location, that location being the time before our opponents had blockers or lands!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Worldpurge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dimensional Breach"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Apocalypse"></div></div>
<p>I'd like to call out the exceptional flavor of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dimensional Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Dimensional Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in that it lets our opponents send their own <a href="https://terminator.fandom.com/wiki/Kyle_Reese">Kyle Reese</a> back in time to stop us.</p>
<p>But don't the card names <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Apocalypse" href="#" target="_blank">Apocalypse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldpurge" href="#" target="_blank">Worldpurge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> hint at another famous Skynet move?</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Judgment Day</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soulscour"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obliterate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jokulhaups"></div></div>
<p>Oh right, the title event of the best Terminator movie. These can serve the same function as our "rewind" cards while still winning us flavor points for playing like Skynet. (Side note: I am legally obligated to include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Day of Judgment" href="#" target="_blank">Day of Judgment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a Skynet decklist.) And since these cards say "destroy", we don't even have to flicker <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blightsteel Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Blightsteel Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p>On the subject of Blightsteel, let's introduce the rest of our arsenal:</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Terminators</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Serra Avatar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evra, Halcyon Witness"></div></div>
<p>As long as our life total is high enough, these two are perfectly suitable alternatives if we're looking to send back something that can one-shot our opponents. It's worth noting that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evra, Halcyon Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Evra, Halcyon Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does need us to activate her ability before we lose all our lands, but we can mitigate the danger of being at 4 life by swinging with her immediately afterwards. We've also got some other options that aren't instantly lethal but are still dangerous.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Colossus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Juggernaut"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malignus"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (or a <em>Monstrous</em> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Colossus of Akros" href="#" target="_blank">Colossus of Akros</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) can survive our "destroy" wipes, and while they can't kill in one hit, being indestructible tramplers means that they might as well be able to, for all your opponents can do about it! On the other hand...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gisela Blade of Goldnight"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rush of Blood"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Battle Mastery"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malignus" href="#" target="_blank">Malignus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Juggernaut" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Juggernaut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> actually <em>can</em> be lethal if we send them back with the right help! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venser, the Sojourner" href="#" target="_blank">Venser, the Sojourner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a good way to flicker our non-creature options, especially since he'll survive several of our wipes.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">T-1000</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Metamorph"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Duplicant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mimic Vat"></div></div>
<p>The T-1000 is an icon of the Skynet arsenal, and there are a few artifact cards that represent its MO remarkably well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Duplicant" href="#" target="_blank">Duplicant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mimic Vat" href="#" target="_blank">Mimic Vat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> follow a similar strategy of killing and copying important targets, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Metamorph" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Metamorph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a slap-bang dead ringer for our goopy pal.</p>
<p>Aside from their delicious flavor, these can help us survive the early game by copying the biggest threat.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Infiltration</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thassa, God of the Sea"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aqueous Form"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Manifold Key"></div></div>
<p>There may come a time when we find ourselves with a Terminator 2 and no Judgment Day, so these cards will help our Hugbots sneak into our opponents' bedrooms to give them Goodnight Kisses. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manifold Key" href="#" target="_blank">Manifold Key</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does double duty as a stand-in for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voltaic Key" href="#" target="_blank">Voltaic Key</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our combo. Also, shout out to the guy in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aqueous Form" href="#" target="_blank">Aqueous Form</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for playin' it wiggly like the T-1000.</p>
<p>This also a good place to propose that we run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, since these can all help pop it off.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"> The Direct Approach</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chandra&#039;s Ignition"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gravitic Punch"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soul&#039;s Fire"></div></div>
<p>I spotted <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra&#039;s Ignition" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra&#039;s Ignition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the EDHREC page for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Serra Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Serra Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which inspired a whole different line of thinking for uniting Terminator with Face: why not remove combat from the equation entirely?</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Cards Are Important</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Padeem, Consul of Innovation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="One with the Machine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mind&#039;s Eye"></div></div>
<p>This deck is still a little bit short on card draw, so we'll toss in a few options that can take advantage of our expensive artifacts (or just are expensive artifacts). Naturally, they come highly recommended on the EDHREC pages for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blightsteel Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Blightsteel Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and its high-CMC pals. Also, two out of three Kykar decks recommend <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for all your card-drawing needs.</p>
<p>There we go! Here's the final decklist:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Elon Musk and the Clunky Bunch" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kykar, Wind&#039;s Fury
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Blightsteel Colossus
*1 Colossus of Akros
*1 Darksteel Colossus
*1 Duplicant
*1 Evra, Halcyon Witness
*1 Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
*1 Jhoira of the Ghitu
*1 Malignus
*1 Mistmeadow Witch
*1 Padeem, Consul of Innovation
*1 Phyrexian Juggernaut
*1 Phyrexian Metamorph
*1 Serra Avatar
*1 Thassa, God of the Sea
*1 Wall of Reverence
&nbsp;
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Eerie Interlude
*1 Long Road Home
*1 Otherworldly Journey
*1 Rush of Blood
*1 Soul&#039;s Fire
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
*1 Teferi&#039;s Time Twist
*1 Turn to Mist
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Apocalypse
*1 Armageddon
*1 Brass&#039;s Bounty
*1 Chandra&#039;s Ignition
*1 Day of Judgment
*1 Decree of Annihilation
*1 Devastation
*1 Dimensional Breach
*1 Gravitic Punch
*1 Jokulhaups
*1 Mana Geyser
*1 Obliterate
*1 One with the Machine
*1 Soulscour
*1 Worldpurge
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Darksteel Ingot
*1 Dreamstone Hedron
*1 Fireshrieker
*1 Helvault
*1 Inquisitor&#039;s Flail
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Manifold Key
*1 Mimic Vat
*1 Mind&#039;s Eye
*1 Mirage Mirror
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Chain Veil
*1 Thran Dynamo
*1 Voltaic Key
*1 Voyager Staff
*1 Worldslayer
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Anointed Procession
*1 Aqueous Form
*1 Battle Mastery
*1 Flickerform
*1 Smothering Tithe
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Gideon, Champion of Justice
*1 Karn Liberated
*1 Venser, the Sojourner
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Azorius Chancery
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Boros Garrison
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Darksteel Citadel
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*2 Island
*3 Mountain
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Mystic Monastery
*4 Plains
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Rugged Prairie
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Sunbaked Canyon
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Wind-Scarred Crag
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>How does it look? </strong>If we rebuilt this deck, would any of these cards be back? Should we come with these cards if we want to live? Let me know!</p>
<p>Thanks for checking out this installment of <em>Diabolic Intent</em>! Next up: The Night King!</p>


time travel

Too-Specific Top 10 - Timey-Wimey

Diabolic Intent - Terminators