(Cloud, Ex-SOLDIERCloud, Ex-SOLDIER | Art by Justyna Dura)

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 Armed with ProofArmed with Proof is the only card that can make your Clues into Equipment?)

The overwhelming response to bothboth CloudClouds since they were previewed has been either bad, boring, or both. I think the first is rather unfair, but it's definitely a result of the second. And who can blame folks for thinking he's boring? Both versions are more of the same thing we get every set: Boros or Boros+ commanders that care about Equipment.

So that got me wondering... what if CloudCloud didn't care about Equipment?

Top 10 Equipment Token Makers

Okay, okay, obviously that wouldn't work. Fully two-thirds of the text on CloudCloud references Equipment or equipping. We'll have to make that work. But that last third isn't nothing, either. CloudCloud making two Treasures is far from nothing, and could actually be a synergy you build around, as well.

Two Treasures a turn adds up pretty quickly even if they don't do anything upon entering. With the likes of Reckless FireweaverReckless Fireweaver, Sarinth SteelseekerSarinth Steelseeker, or Teething WurmletTeething Wurmlet around, however, that advantage could add up quickly. So what if you could add to it even more? What if Cloud cared about artifact tokens?

There is no shortage of cards which make artifact tokens, to be sure, and plenty that make more of them when you make one. With that in mind, why wouldn't we try to lean into CloudCloud's last little bit of text, and turn those two Treasures into four or five artifacts entering the battlefield a turn?

The only problem? CloudCloud's other two-thirds of his text reference Equipment, and even the third we're trying to exploit requires him to have three extra power somehow. So how do we get that done while reveling in this synergy we're currently finding? Well, how about Equipment tokens?

Criteria: Cards which create a non-copy equipment token. As is tradition, all results are ordered by EDHREC score.

Equipment tokens generally arrive in the form of artifact tokens, and would allow us to keep on exploiting things like Stridehangar AutomatonStridehangar Automaton and Mondrak, Glory DominusMondrak, Glory Dominus as a result. Combine that with them getting CloudCloud up to speed so he can then trigger to make Treasure, and we'd be in business.

The only question is, what are the best Equipment tokens?

10. Moira Brown, Guide AuthorMoira Brown, Guide Author

(Helms 344 Decks, Rank #1,779; 2,494 Inclusions, 0% of 946,737 Decks)

The entire idea of what we're trying to do here is fairly new. With that in mind, while I'm putting Moira Brown, Guide AuthorMoira Brown, Guide Author onto a list of best Equipment token makers, I'm not sure that I would if I had a choice about it. That's right, there are only 10 cards in all of Magic that make a non-copy Equipment token, and this one sees the least play.

Honestly though, I don't think it's so much that Moira is bad as it's just doing a lot of things that don't seem to add up to much. When she was initially previewed, I remember several people musing that she might make a decent Weird Counters commander, but as for what her normal nonsense adds up to? It's not exactly compelling. She makes an Equipment that gets one bigger every turn, providing that the things you put Quest counters on stick around and aren't destroyed or otherwise removed. Woo-hoo.

There's some space to play in with MoiraMoira, however, if you think a bit outside the box. Namely, with the modified mechanic.

Handing out a free counter every turn means free modifications, meaning cards that care about your number of modified creatures are going to absolutely love the Wasteland Survival Guide. So we're going to give Moira a chance, even if she's got a lot of things going on. I know I've been accused of greater crimes.

9. Armed with ProofArmed with Proof

(6,443 Inclusions, 0% of 2,002,964 Decks)

As much as CloudCloud doesn't care about Clues, the sad fact is that if we're going to care about artifact tokens, we now care about Clues. Combine that with the fact that Armed with ProofArmed with Proof makes tokens into Clues, and this is probably one of the best cards in our deck. The equip cost on our BonesplitterBonesplitter Clues is unfortunate, but don't forget, CloudCloud equips one of them for free, and the other equip pays for itself in Treasure tokens.

8. Mabel, Heir to CragflameMabel, Heir to Cragflame

(Helms 3,721 Decks, Rank #471; 3,230 Inclusions, 0% of 946,737 Decks)

While CloudCloud already has haste, vigilance and trample would go a long way, especially if he starts getting to the seven power we need to start making Treasure. It's unfortunate that Mabel won't him all the way there, but she's is a pretty stout body all on her own, which is a nice consolation prize.

7. Arterial AlchemyArterial Alchemy

(7,238 Inclusions, 0% of 2,824,414 Decks)

For the most part, this is a second copy of Armed with ProofArmed with Proof, but the big difference is that we'll get an extra token if we're in the standard pod of four players. That probably doesn't make a huge difference as far as equipping CloudCloud, but could be the straw that breaks the camel's back when it comes to artifact or Equipment triggers like Dowsing DeviceDowsing Device or Puresteel PaladinPuresteel Paladin. Combine that with the lower cost to rummage with Blood tokens than the straight draw with Clues, and Arterial AlchemyArterial Alchemy is earning its higher ranking here.

6. Icingdeath, Frost TyrantIcingdeath, Frost Tyrant

(Helms 76 Decks, Rank #2,614; 7,953 Inclusions, 0% of 2,651,918 Decks)

I'm less sold on Icingdeath, Frost TyrantIcingdeath, Frost Tyrant. Don't get me wrong, a flying, vigilant 4/3 for four is a pretty darn good rate, but we're not trying for straight aggro here. No, we're coming at things sideways, trying to be cute with artifact tokens. With that split focus between tokens and Equipment, you know what we don't need to try to also be doing? Being an Aristocrats deck and trying to find a means of sacrificing our Dragon. I love Icingdeath if we're going a bit more aggro, but for this brew, I think this one stays on the sidelines.

5. Nahiri, the LithomancerNahiri, the Lithomancer

(Helms 787 Decks, Rank #1,309; 9,853 Inclusions, 0% of 2,651,918 Decks)

Similarly, I don't think Nahiri, the LithomancerNahiri, the Lithomancer fits our purposes here. The free body with free equip is nice, but not worth the five mana. The free cast/recur would be nice, but we're not planning on playing that many actual Equipment. Which just leaves why we're here: the ultimate. I do like it quite a bit, but it's also going to take four turns of making Kor tokens to get there, and that's if we manage to keep Nahiri defended that whole time. No thanks.

4. Toggo, Goblin WeaponsmithToggo, Goblin Weaponsmith

(Partners 4,892 Decks, 13,877 Inclusions, 0% of 2,824,414 Decks)

I'm of three minds about Toggo, Goblin WeaponsmithToggo, Goblin Weaponsmith when it comes to CloudCloud:

1. I. Love. Toggo
2. Toggo makes Equipment tokens, and that's what we're doing
3. None of those Equipment turn on Cloud's Treasure-making ability, and to use them I would have to also not attack, meaning not drawing cards.

Now, all that said, removal is good, and this is the first card we've seen that makes multiple tokens with an equip cost of . Yeah, we'll be doing a lot of ignoring equip costs, like every Equipment deck does. That doesn't mean that throwing some Rocks onto some creatures on the cheap in the early turns to then have CloudCloud come down and draw some cards isn't a pretty good deal. I'd call this just on the edge of the 99 for what we're trying to do here, and we'll have to see which way the cookie crumbles.

3. Blacksmith's TalentBlacksmith's Talent

(16,652 Inclusions, 1% of 1,579,251 Decks)

No edge of the 99 here! Blacksmith's TalentBlacksmith's Talent has rocketed up in inclusions in the short time it's been in print for one reason and one reason only: it's one mana. While a one-mana Equipment that gives +1/+1 and equips for wouldn't be blowing anyone away even in limited, having the mana sink that synergizes with what Equipment decks are doing is what really sells this thing. Level 2 is probably only one more mana than most of the equip costs we'd be paying anyhow to throw on an Equipment. And Level 3 will be rare to see, but when we do it will almost certainly end the game. What's not to love?

2. Gemcutter BuccaneerGemcutter Buccaneer

(17,908 Inclusions, 1% of 2,357,111 Decks)

I've never wished CloudCloud was a Pirate, until now. That said, while I'm kind of for the mental image, I don't think we'll be pursuing that line to abuse Gemcutter BuccaneerGemcutter Buccaneer, nor do I think we need to.

While there are strangely no other Pirates that care about Equipment, there are more than a few that care about Treasure. Of those, I think the only possible inclusions are Impulsive PilfererImpulsive Pilferer and Captain Lannery StormCaptain Lannery Storm, but the truth is that we love Gemcutter BuccaneerGemcutter Buccaneer whether we ever make a Treasure with it or not. After all, if we're doing it right, our commander will be making plenty, and we'll be throwing them on our Pirate friend on the cheap to draw cards and deal damage.

1. Bloodforged Battle-AxeBloodforged Battle-Axe

(58,179 Inclusions, 1% of 5,771,666 Decks)

Oh hey, an Equipment on our list of cards that care about Equipment. Weird.

Jokes aside, Bloodforged Battle-AxeBloodforged Battle-Axe has been a ton of fun in Equipment decks ever since it was printed. I wouldn't go so far as to ever call it good, but it always seems to bring the nonsense, which some people value even more. And if there was ever a deck that it was going to bring the nonsense in, this is that deck.

Honorable Mentions

As previously stated, our top ten consists of all of the cards that currently make token Equipment. There are, however, still three more that make copies of Equipment, which sort of technically qualify.

The reason I ultimately pulled these from contention is because I'm not blown away by any of them. Brass KnucklesBrass Knuckles has always been too expensive, even with the discount on the equip cost. While Stangg, Echo WarriorStangg, Echo Warrior looks like it would be a blast to build a deck around, as a deck that would throw it down on turn four, I want to be spending turn five casting my hasty commander who attaches Equipment to himself and then draws cards, not attaching a bunch of equipment to my four-drop from last turn.

Nahiri, the UnforgivingNahiri, the Unforgiving is a bit closer, but I'm not sure we'll have enough actual Equipment cards in the deck to take advantage of her zero ability. In other words, both of these are getting left out of our brew, despite almost doing what we want to be doing.

Speaking of our brew...

It feels a bit odd to be making an artifact deck, and to then leave out all the mana rocks that you usually include even in decks that don't care about artifacts. It turns out, however, that there are more Equipment these days that make Treasure than you can shake a stick at, and they fill the role those mana rocks would usually fill quite nicely.

As for how the deck plays, it needs a bit of an aggressive mulligan to make sure that you have a creature you can attach all this stuff to, but once you have that, it's off to the races. Cloud feels really good, almost always immediately coming down and drawing two or more cards, and rarely also immediately making two Treasures if you have one of the bigger Equipment laying around. Even better, it doesn't quite feel like an Equipment deck, because you're constantly seeing triggers upon tokens entering, and with most of them being Treasures it's difficult to keep your hand full despite Cloud drawing you cards constantly.

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?

If the goal was to make an Equipment deck that didn't feel like just another equipment deck, I'm not sure that we succeeded. But despite not normally being into the Equipment deck thing, I found that I really enjoyed playing this deck anyhow. With that in mind, I wonder if Equipment decks aren't getting a bit of a bad rap? Sure, we keep seeing non-stop commanders for them, and I also wish that Boros would find a bit of a new identity, but that doesn't mean they're not a good time, right?

And finally, what's your favorite card that makes Equipment tokens? Is this a space you hope gets played around with a bit more? Have you ever built an Equipment deck based around tokens?

Let us know in the comments, and we'll see you at the table that keeps on making more legs. Disconcerting.