(Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay | Art by William Tempest)

Open the Pod Bay Doors, Hal

Welcome to Too-Specific Top 10, where if there isn’t a category to rank our pet card at the top of, we’ll just make one up! (Did you know that Esper SojournersEsper Sojourners is the only three-color artifact that can untap an artifact?)

Well, they done did it. Those crazy wizards up at Wizards made a Birthing PodBirthing Pod for artifacts.

They did at least act somewhat responsibly, however. Rather than an activation of one, since no one was paying the mana for the green Phyrexian mana pip in Birthing PodBirthing Pod, they had Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay cost two to activate.

That might not sound like much, as it's just one more mana, but another way of saying that is that it costs double the mana to activate each time.

Still, that doesn't mean we can't try to abuse it, right?

Top 10 Artifact Untappers

Ever since Voltaic KeyVoltaic Key was printed alongside Grim MonolithGrim Monolith and Worn PowerstoneWorn Powerstone and introduced a little deck called WildfireWildfire to the standard format, it's been clear how powerful untapping artifacts multiple times a turn is.

In fact, when it comes to notable artifact Birthing PodBirthing Pod, half the reason its considered a one-card win condition is because you can search up things that will automatically untap it.

With that in mind, then, there's got to be an inherent advantage to being able to search for artifacts that come in without having to worry about pesky things like summoning sickness, right?

Instead of it having to be on an enter the battlefield trigger, you can just have your normal, run of the mill tap effects that will untap artifacts, which seems like it will get out of control fast.

With that said, however, we do have one big restriction that Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay has in common with Birthing PodBirthing Pod, and that's it only operating at sorcery speed.

This may not seem like a big deal, but it makes a whole bunch of various untappers not operate the way you want them to.

Artifacts that eventually untap Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay aren't going to have the "climb the ladder" mentality we're looking for, as they'll just untap the Bay at a time where we can't use it.

That means things that untap stuff during our end step, or during an opponents untap step, aren't going to work for what we're wanting to do.

Another thing to watch out for is creatures with attack triggers or tap abilities, which work fine if you wait a turn, but won't let you immediately use them due to summoning sickness.

Which is in no way saying that you might not want to include Mobile GarrisonMobile Garrison or Inverted IcebergInverted Iceberg in your deck that's abusing Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay, you just need to be aware that they are only going to fuel your untap nonsense once they've stuck around a turn.

With those corner cases out of the way, then, let's take a look at our criteria and get to the list!

Criteria: Artifacts that can untap another artifact the turn they enter the battlefield in a fashion that will make the untapped artifact immediately usable at sorcery speed. As is tradition, all results are ordered by EDHREC score.

10. Malachite TalismanMalachite Talisman

(867 Inclusions, 0% of 5,097,401 Decks)

Hoo boy, we are not starting off on a high note here. We're not quite scraping the absolute bottom of the barrel, as there are four other Talismans and Esper SojournersEsper Sojourners below Malachite TalismanMalachite Talisman in play numbers, but we're definitely too close for comfort.

In fact, I would absolutely play Esper SojournersEsper Sojourners above any color of Talisman, despite its clunky untap on death, rather than an untap upon entering.

That's a heck of a lot more usable than a Lapis Lazuli TalismanLapis Lazuli Talisman that allows you to pay three after you play a blue spell to untap the Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay you already paid two to activate. That's called going nowhere fast.

9. Galvanic KeyGalvanic Key

(1,187 Inclusions, 0% of 5,097,401 Decks)

Galvanic KeyGalvanic Key is a wonder example of Wizards trying and failing to make a "fixed" version of a once-popular card. If they had just gone and made it two to cast with flash, then still had it remain one mana to untap like the Voltaic KeyVoltaic Key it was emulating, there would be a reason to play this.

If they'd gone the other way and had it cost one to cast with flash and two to activate, I could still find myself finding reasons to put this in decks.

They instead made damn sure that it couldn't be abused by making it cost two and then three to activate, and as a result, this version of the famous key never saw play in any format. That trend continues.

8. Filigree SagesFiligree Sages

(2,981 Inclusions, 0% of 2,495,274 Decks)

As we continue down our conversation of cards that just aren't good enough, we arrive at Filigree SagesFiligree Sages. Four mana is already high enough up the chain that you should be trying to win, rather than just keep on untapping, and as previously stated on both of our previous cards, three mana is just too much to be paying after you've already paid two.

7. Unbender TineUnbender Tine

(3,283 Inclusions, 0% of 1,116,283 Decks)

As stated with Filigree SagesFiligree Sages, you should probably be trying to win the game by the time you get up to four mana artifacts.

With that said, if you need to get to five, this is a solid means to do so. As such, let's take a look at some of impactful artifacts at five mana.

Top 10 Five-Mana Artifacts

1. Vanquisher's BannerVanquisher's Banner
2. Gilded LotusGilded Lotus
3. Psychosis CrawlerPsychosis Crawler
4. Conjurer's ClosetConjurer's Closet
5. Coat of ArmsCoat of Arms
6. Alhammarret's ArchiveAlhammarret's Archive
7. Forsaken MonumentForsaken Monument
8. Throne of EldraineThrone of Eldraine
9. Eldrazi MonumentEldrazi Monument
10. Venser's JournalVenser's Journal

Now, make no mistake, there are some bangers in this list. If you're a Kindred deck in any capacity, you've got both Vanquisher's BannerVanquisher's Banner and Coat of ArmsCoat of Arms to pick from, for instance.

Most times in a deck playing the likes of Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay, however, you're looking to just find and end the game with a combo.

With that in mind, there are combos aplenty with both Alhammaret's Archive and Forsaken Monument.

What I actually think is better that didn't even make the list, though? Ugin's NexusUgin's Nexus, Krark-Clan IronworksKrark-Clan Ironworks, and Esoteric DuplicatorEsoteric Duplicator.

Now, Ugin's NexusUgin's Nexus can be a confusing card, so let me explain things a bit. Yes, you do need all three of these cards to do this combo.

Why? Because if an Ugin's NexusUgin's Nexus exists at the start of any extra turn you might take, you will instead not take that extra turn.

In other words, yes, you could sacrifice Nexus and then make another copy of it with Esoteric DuplicatorEsoteric Duplicator, but then when you tried to take the extra turn, the new copy of the Nexus would stop you from doing so.

So instead? Grab a Krark-Clan IronworksKrark-Clan Ironworks, and make 400 copies of Ugin's NexusUgin's Nexus, taking care to make sure that you sacrifice the final copy before you begin your first of 400 extra turns. Pretty neat, huh?

My main reason for liking this combo, however, is because of how good Esoteric DuplicatorEsoteric Duplicator is in a deck looking to sacrifice artifacts.

Whether or not you can climb the ladder to Ugin's NexusUgin's Nexus, you can at the very least start sacrificing impactful artifacts and getting them right back.

Even better if they have an ETB. Or a dies trigger. Or heck, how about bothhow about both?

6.Dross ScorpionDross Scorpion

(8,493 Inclusions, 0% of 5,097,401 Decks)

Dross ScorpionDross Scorpion may sport a combo page 152 entries long, but I personally have always found it a little clunky to work with.

With that said, I'm not sure that I think that reputation is going to continue when it comes to Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay.

First off, it can just be sacrificed to the Bay itself to immediately untap it. Hang the banner, etc.

If you do happen to have other artifact creatures hanging around, however, then Dross ScorpionDross Scorpion is now your engine, repeatedly untapping Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay over and over again until you run out of mana.

Why would you just have artifact creatures hanging around? Well, we'll get into that more with our number five slot, but first, let's take a look at some copy and token shenanigans.

Imposter MechImposter Mech is a pretty easy search to accomplish with a one-mana artifact, and allows you to make a copy of any converted mana cost creature your opponents have lying around.

Chances are, that's just one copy, but if it gets you the magic number you need? That's more than worth the cost of admission.

If you are looking good in the neighborhood, however, then Auton SoldierAuton Soldier seems pretty spicy, allowing you to make three copies of whatever creature you're looking to duplicate, and then getting you three Dross ScorpionDross Scorpion triggers at end of combat.

Yeah, you'll only be able to use one of those on Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay due to its sorcery speed rider, but when has an artifact deck not had mana rocks to untap?

Finally, if you're looking for something that could really go nuts with Dross ScorpionDross Scorpion, Dollhouse of HorrorsDollhouse of Horrors can make hasty copies of creatures in your graveyard which you can sacrifice to Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay after you've attacked, allowing for a plethora of untaps you can use on either the Dollhouse or the Bay, whichever seems better at the time. Or if you'd like to do both...

5. Corridor MonitorCorridor Monitor

(9,890 Inclusions, 0% of 2,495,274 Decks)

Corridor MonitorCorridor Monitor is already famous for being the beginning of the chain in Birthing PodBirthing Pod decks, and it's no different when it comes to Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay. Sacrifice a Sol RingSol Ring or a Vexing BaubleVexing Bauble and go grab this, only to have it enter, untap the Bay, and immediately go searching again for a three-cost.

Now, that three-cost could be something else that untaps to keep climbing the ladder, as we'll see in our number four ranking.

It could also be a means to ending the game, however, so let's take a look at some of the juiciest options in three-mana artifacts.

Top 10 Three-Mana Artifacts

1. Commander's SphereCommander's Sphere
2. Chromatic LanternChromatic Lantern
3. Ashnod's AltarAshnod's Altar
4. Herald's HornHerald's Horn
5. Decanter of Endless WaterDecanter of Endless Water
6. Burnished HartBurnished Hart
7. Mithril CoatMithril Coat
8. Foundry InspectorFoundry Inspector
9. Academy ManufactorAcademy Manufactor
10. Phyrexian AltarPhyrexian Altar

There's no doubt that our top ten for the three-mana artifacts is much less clean than our five-mana one was, but what can I say? Most decks aren't trying to win the game for three mana, when they're at least thinking about it for five.

With that said, there are definitely combos to be had here. Specifically, there are 2,760 of them with Ashnod's AltarAshnod's Altar, 2,513 with Phyrexian AltarPhyrexian Altar, 223 with Academy ManufactorAcademy Manufactor, and 43 with Foundry InspectorFoundry Inspector.

There is a combo machine that's not on this list, however, and that's Basalt MonolithBasalt Monolith. It and another three-mana artifact, Rings of BrighthearthRings of Brighthearth, get you infinite mana.

Combine that with Rings of BrighthearthRings of Brighthearth also being able to copy Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay's ability without having to sacrifice another artifact, and there seems to be ample reason to be looking in this direction.

4. Sonic ScrewdriverSonic Screwdriver

(41,678 Inclusions, 1% of 3,827,371 Decks)

I gave Galvanic KeyGalvanic Key quite a lot of flak for being more expensive, but it turns out if you have a three-cost, still untap an artifact for one mana, and also have the option to tap for mana, people are in on that deal.

I'm actually personally not entirely convinced, but there's no question that if you sacrifice a two-drop artifact with a lot of mana available, you can plop this down to untap Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay and continue on to four. So, what's at four?

Top 10 Four-Cost Artifacts

1. Solemn SimulacrumSolemn Simulacrum
2. The One RingThe One Ring
3. Roaming ThroneRoaming Throne
4. Thran DynamoThran Dynamo
5. PanharmoniconPanharmonicon
6. Aetherflux ReservoirAetherflux Reservoir
7. Phyrexian MetamorphPhyrexian Metamorph
8. Helm of the HostHelm of the Host
9. Bident of ThassaBident of Thassa
10. Hedron ArchiveHedron Archive

A lot is at four, it turns out. Skipping past Sad RobotSad Robot, The One RingThe One Ring is a controversial card that's still warping several formats despite being banned from Modern already.

It is slightly less good when searching it up, as you do not qualify for the cast rider that gives you protection from everything, but unlike Iron ManIron Man, it does come into play untapped so you can immediately search.

Combine that with the high likelihood that if you made it to four in the chain, you probably have an artifact untapper, and I think this will actually be the primary plan of most decks looking to abuse Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay.

At least until there is an instant win chain figured out, your best bet in all of this nonsense we're going over today is to climb the chain, grab The One RingThe One Ring, immediately draw one to three cards with it, and then attempt to untap and start drawing a new hand every turn until you either win, or your life total gets low enough that you have to sacrifice it.

Looking down the list, there are certainly other options and combo machines, but for now, I honestly believe this to be the best option available with Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay.

3. Voltaic KeyVoltaic Key

(42,730 Inclusions, 1% of 5,097,401 Decks)

With that said, you do still have to get to four-drop territory. That likely means either already having a Voltaic KeyVoltaic Key in play, or searching one up off of a zero-cost artifact as your first go with Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay.

For a lot of decks, that will end up being a Treasure, Food, or Clue, easy peasy. For those that don't have easy access to artifact tokens, however, you may have to go get your key with an actual card.

So, with that in mind, what are the best zero cost artifacts that you can get down early to grab a key with in the mid-game?

Top 10 Zero-Cost Artifacts

1. Lotus PetalLotus Petal
2. Chrome MoxChrome Mox
3. Everflowing ChaliceEverflowing Chalice
4. Mox OpalMox Opal
5. Mox DiamondMox Diamond
6. Mox AmberMox Amber
7. Darksteel CitadelDarksteel Citadel
8. Seat of the SynodSeat of the Synod
9. Great FurnaceGreat Furnace
10. Walking BallistaWalking Ballista

There are a lot of options (so much so that I've actually already done an article on this topic), but the real delineating line here is probably the inherent power level of the deck you're playing.

If your budget is unlimited, then this whole list is probably a real possibility, and the only question will be if you really have enough mana available that you're willing to throw away a Mox DiamondMox Diamond to go grab a Key to keep the chain going.

If not, on either count, then it's much more likely you're going to be looking at either an Everflowing ChaliceEverflowing Chalice or artifact landartifact land situation.

There is also, of course, all of the free creatures in OrnithopterOrnithopter, Phyrexian WalkerPhyrexian Walker, Shield SphereShield Sphere, and MemniteMemnite, along with a slew of mostly do-nothing zero-cost artifacts.

If you don't have a good reason to be playing those already, however, then it's likely that these are your options to go find a Key.

Whether you use that Key to immediately climb the ladder to two, or attempt to keep it so you can untap the Bay twice the next turn in an attempt to climb to four, that's up to you.

2. Clock of OmensClock of Omens

(48,811 Inclusions, 1% of 5,097,401 Decks)

Life isn't so simple that there isn't also a choice to be made when it comes to searching for a four-drop, however.

Clock of OmensClock of Omens has always been an inherently powerful piece in artifact decks, allowing you to untap mana rocks multiple times a turn as you continue to lay down cheap artifacts while doing so.

In pairing with either Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay or The One RingThe One Ring, it will be out of control immediately upon hitting the board, in all likelihood.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that the chain we've laid out here today probably goes something like this:

1. Grab Voltaic KeyVoltaic Key, untap Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay.
2. Sac Key, get Corridor MonitorCorridor Monitor, untap Bay.
3. Sac Monitor, get Sonic ScrewdriverSonic Screwdriver, untap Bay.
4. Sac Screwdriver, get Clock of OmensClock of Omens, untap Bay and hopefully a bunch of the mana rocks that let you pay for this whole ten-mana adventure.

As you've probably surmised, we're well into magical Christmas-land with this whole scenario. Suffice it to say, however, that if you have managed to amass a board full of artifacts, and can land a Clock of OmensClock of Omens, you can probably fairly easily win the game from there.

Clock of OmensClock of Omens itself is part of 379 combos, or can just be landed into a board of artifacts and The One RingThe One Ring to draw into whatever combo it is that you were actually planning on winning with.

The only question between the two is what your board state is when you crack a three-drop to choose which one to go search for. If it's already nuts, go get Clock of OmensClock of Omens and try to win the game.

If Clock wouldn't do much because you don't have artifacts to abuse with it, then go grab The One RingThe One Ring and draw some more artifacts. Easy peasy.

1. Manifold KeyManifold Key

(75,964 Inclusions, 1% of 5,097,401 Decks)

Given that most decks don't just have ten mana and six untapped artifacts available at the drop of a hat, it's likely that you're not going to win by just climbing the chain outright the turn you play Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay.

What is more likely? That you'll go grab one of the two Keys, and will get two searches a turn to try and climb to an advantageous position.

That second key we're talking about is what most consider to be the better one, Manifold KeyManifold Key. While it's not able to untap itself as Voltaic KeyVoltaic Key can, it can make a creature unblockable, which is more likely to come up most of the time.

Honorable Mentions

We wiped out more or less the whole list here today, so there's not too much left to talk about in the honorable mentions. With that said, there is one card that I think is worth revisiting.

Having already gone over the likelier scenario being not an immediate win with with Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay, but rather a slow grind through probably Stax and control cards, Esper SojournersEsper Sojourners starts to look a lot better.

In the hand, it's an untap and a draw if you've already got the Bay down, or a body to attack and block with until your Bay arrives, at which point you can search for a four-cost like The One RingThe One Ring or Clock of OmensClock of Omens and still get an immediate untap.

That's not game-breaking, but it is pretty solid for what we're trying to do here.

Speaking of what we're trying to do here, is it even worth it? The whole point of Birthing PodBirthing Pod is that it can win you the game outright, immediately.

All you need is four to five deck slots and three to four mana available, and even those estimates are based on you climbing the ladder up from a mana dork, rather than a three-mana creature that can do things more or less immediately.

Well, to find out, let's look at some of the commanders that might be able to use Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay effectively.

In our first lineup here, we've got three very different commanders pursuing three very different artifact decks. Emry, Lurker of the LochEmry, Lurker of the Loch likes Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay because she can just recast the artifacts you sacrifice to it.

Her usage here probably looks a lot like slowly climbing the ladder each turn, grinding value as you repeatedly sacrifice and replay mana rocks, ultimately culminating in The One RingThe One Ring, which you can recast each turn while you drop impactful five-drops onto the battlefield.

Urza, Lord High ArtificerUrza, Lord High Artificer, on the other hand, probably can pull off an immediate win. Why? Because Urza is broken, and an excess of random artifacts means both probably having the right numbers to search up an easy infinite mana combo like Basalt MonolithBasalt Monolith and Rings of BrighthearthRings of Brighthearth, and also the mana to do so in a single turn.

With that said, I will leave the specific optimal line up to Urza pilots, as they're much more aware of what works well with him than I am.

It's dubious whether bringing an energy deck to a table that's high-powered enough to tolerate a card like Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay is a good idea, but there's no doubt that much like EmryEmry, there is a grindy value-engine to be had here.

Another great use that's more specific to Dr. Li, however? Searching up impactful artifact creatures and giving them haste.

When Ashnod the UncaringAshnod the Uncaring was first spoiled, I made a deck with her abusing Pyre of HeroesPyre of Heroes. Well, it turns out the same idea works with Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay, only you don't have to worry about creature types anymore.

It also turns out that searching up two-card combos like Basalt MonolithBasalt Monolith and Rings of BrighthearthRings of Brighthearth is a lot easier when you can go grab two cards at once.

What I actually think Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay is best at, however? Searching up Stax effects that will gum up the board and keep people from executing their gameplans.

Well, there are few Stax commanders better than Urza, Chief ArtificerUrza, Chief Artificer, who will come down into a board full of artifacts and immediately begin making huge Constructs every turn while others spend all their resources trying to remove your Stax pieces instead of the 12/12s that are actually going to kill them.

Nuts and Bolts

There always seems to be a bit of interest in how these lists are made (this seems like a good time to stress once again that they are based on EDHREC score, NOT my personal opinion…), and people are often surprised that I’m not using any special data or .json from EDHREC, but rather just muddling my way through with some Scryfall knowledge! For your enjoyment/research, here is this week’s Scryfall search.

What Do You Think?

So, all in all, Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay, like Oswald FiddlebenderOswald Fiddlebender before it, is probably not the slam dunk that Birthing PodBirthing Pod is. Still, there is always the plan that is becoming the plan of more and more high-powered decks these days:

1. Go and get The One RingThe One Ring.
2. ...
3. Profit?

I'm being a bit facetious here, but I am honestly seeing this play more and more at high-powered tables. If there's a board that your deck can't win through, then going to get a one-card draw engine makes a ton of sense.

I'm also seeing folks start to play things like Phyrexian MetamorphPhyrexian Metamorph and even subpar cards like Sculpting SteelSculpting Steel, simply to try and copy opposing One Rings. Which to me, sounds a lot like a card that is warping the format around itself, no?

And finally, what do you think is the best artifact untapper? Does it work to keep Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay climbing the ladder? What would be your destination for said ladder to arrive at, and what commander are you using to make Repurposing BayRepurposing Bay worth it?

Let us know in the comments, and we'll see you at that engine block table from old-school Top Gear.

DougY

Doug has been an avid Magic player since Fallen Empires, when his older brother traded him some epic blue Homarids for all of his Islands. As for Commander, he's been playing since 2010, when he started off by making a two-player oriented G/R Land Destruction deck. Nailed it. In his spare time when he's not playing Magic, writing about Magic or doing his day job, he runs a YouTube channel or two, keeps up a College Football Computer Poll, and is attempting to gif every scene of the Star Wars prequels.