I was assigned a random roommate in college. We had many differences, but we were both former MTG players who agreed that Affinity was busted.

The start of affinity decks is where I began to take magic more seriously. I was hoping to hear about Broodstar Affinity haha

@atlys258

3 жыл бұрын

It's ok, it seems only a few of us more cultured Affinity players played Broodstar 💙

Wow, nizzahon has an affinity for these kinds of videos, and that’s an artiFACT.

@ymmijx6061

3 жыл бұрын

i hate you, now take my like

@corradoalamanni179

3 жыл бұрын

Well played

@SisypheanSeas13

3 жыл бұрын

To affinity and beyond

@SgtImrak93

3 жыл бұрын

KEKW

@TheGloriousLobsterEmperor

3 жыл бұрын

Boooooo!

"Skullclamp was only legal for a short time because it was COMPLETELY ABSURD!" That is a very concise way to put it. :)

@melvinfz0301

3 жыл бұрын

But they did not lean anything, next set (Fifth Dawn), they printed Cranial Plaiting

@user-if4rj3hr1j

3 ай бұрын

Remember when artifact lands weren't restricted to 4 👽

@egoalter1276

2 ай бұрын

What. Were they originally basic lands?

Affinity is a true Ship of Theseus in MtG. The spirit of the deck is the same, but it's been a long time since affinity has been in the deck.

What I learned from this is that Affinity decks should be called Ravager decks instead. On a related noted, Hardened Ravager would be a great porngrind band name.

I love it when a deck's name survives even when the deck has changed completely and the name doesn't make sense anymore :) Also it's cool that there has been a resurgence of Affinity with the new cards printed in MH2: artifact duals, Thought Monitor, Nettlecyst, Sojourner's Companion and of course Urza's Saga.

@s.i.rjewel828

3 жыл бұрын

And quite a few of those very same cards happen to be in my artifact commander deck coincidentally lol

Affinity has also been a competitive deck in Pauper for a long time, and that deck actually uses the affinity creatures, since the artifact lands are legal.

@NizzahonMagic

3 жыл бұрын

This series doesn't cover pauper

@tomscud

3 жыл бұрын

It would probably have about as long a section as modern had if he had covered it, though the lack of independent data, particularly before the mtgo pauper challenges started, would be a problem. It's currently the best deck in pauper (storm notwithstanding) and will probably need the ban hammer after MH2 added four more myr enforcers and gave it a mox monkey-resistant mana base.

@tomscud

3 жыл бұрын

Your other pauper history/trivia is that when pauper was created as an official magic online format, cranial plating was the only card on the ban list.

@Red-Tower

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, if Pauper had pro play support it would definitely have a big chunk in this video. Might have been nice to at least have a shout-out since it is a popular format, but I understand why it wasn't included at all.

@tomatus270389

3 жыл бұрын

@@NizzahonMagic Unfortunate. I think at least a quick mention is worth it.

About the Modern Horizons 2 section, I believe both Hardened Scales and more traditional Affinity actually got something of a resurgence with the introduction of the Thought Monitor and specially Urza's Saga. I even remember seeing some lists going full on Affinity Aggro with Sojourner's Companion because it lets you have 8 myr enforcers type of creatures.

@faerie7dragon

3 жыл бұрын

There is also that Wasp, the Legendary Boros Modular thingy, could be a good for Affinity focused on Modular.

@Simonk_6

3 жыл бұрын

But food op

@naomicoffman1315

3 жыл бұрын

@@Simonk_6 That's what your Inkmoth Nexuses are for :)

@harrison1735

3 жыл бұрын

Urza's Saga is probably not long for this world, but I really hope Affinity can still be competitive without it.

@dimitrivanbrandt6629

2 ай бұрын

12 now with mh3 :p

Just wanted to say that I really enjoy your very late/early release schedule. I work Tuesday nights, so having something new to listen to on my drive home is always appreciated.

Awesome content your channel is so dedicated and thorough, thank you.

I love how you put your History PHD into work with mtg. You are the best

Artifact lands tapping for "two" is really underselling them in true Affinity decks. They produce one more mana for each card with affinity you play - and don't even need to be tapped for it. For example with three artifact lands in play you can play all the Frogmites you have in hand and still have two mana open. (The first one costs 1, all other 0.) Repeatable cost reduction on a land is super busted, same reason why Eye of Ugin is banned while Eldrazi temple is not despite both of them contributing "two" when looking at a single Eldrazi spell. We will see how the MHII lands fare but I can see them getting banned eventually (either all of them or only the most dominant Affinity colors). Despite coming into play tapped they are still reducing the cost of all Affinity cards as soon as they are played.

@gdiridium5525

3 жыл бұрын

i seriously doubt that these new artifact lands get banned, since entering tapped is such a huge tempo hit - especially early on.

@newsuperstevebros

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah I really doubt these new artifact lands are gonna get banned. At best, they'll see fringe play, and be neat inclusions for edh. Coming in tapped really cripples any utility that a land has, it almost doesn't matter what upside it gets.

@TheJacklikesvideos

3 жыл бұрын

It's not even a tempo hit to come in tapped in an affinity context, though. It's still incredibly accelerated ramp.

There were Affinity Decks before Darksteel though. I remember them being more blue-based, running Broodstar and Lightning Greaves.

@NizzahonMagic

3 жыл бұрын

That may be, but they didn't top 8 anything.

@delconagher12

3 жыл бұрын

That was before Darksteel was released. It's basically a Mirrodin only deck. The deck changed everytime the next expansion was released. Til they banned everything.

I've been really enjoying your history vids, I've always been interested in the modern decks and stuff and I love learning about them. I'm so happy to see you branching out into something more serious and seeing success, and your history channel looks SUPER spicy, it's got some very interesting and unusual topics. I think I'm gonna love that.

What about pauper affinity?

I was waiting for Affinity’s turn - really enjoyed that! Thanks Nizzahon

Thank you for these history series...

I remember the "trios" events where you had teams of 3 people one in each format (standard, extended and block) and there were trios with 3 affinity decks 😅. I started with Magic around 2003 and I remember after the affinity ban A LOT of people stopped playing altogether.

The thing I am liking about your history of magic vids is the reminder of how much I enjoyed early years of magic

Time to update this one! This is really great content.

With the new MTG history series, and the Nizzahon History yt channel, I'm starting to suspect they might be run by the same guy.

@MaxPowerBSD

3 жыл бұрын

Maybe one is the evil twin of the other

In the first deck list for block constructed nizzahon misspelled seat of the synod, stea of the synod. Did any one else notice this or just me.

Love Nizzahon's narration.

As soon as I read the deck title, I sighed heavily and poured a new cup of coffee before watching this one. When you eventually said it led to a major exodus of players, I raised my hand. I lived through Energy, I couldn't live through Mirrodin Block

@TheGloriousLobsterEmperor

3 жыл бұрын

Wait, did you quit after affinity and then come back and survive Kaladesh or are you a time traveller who started in Kaladesh and went back in time to quit during affinity?

@OrcDragon65

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheGloriousLobsterEmperor ​ I started around Invasion and played until right before 5th Dawn. I came back in Dragon's Maze and fell in love with Theros Block. By the time Kaladesh came out, I was invested in the Gatewatch storyline enough to just bare with it. And after I saw how quickly they banned Smuggler's Copter I trusted Wizards wouldn't let energy get as bad as the old Affinity decks, so I had more confidence (also knowing it was a 2-Set Block really made it easier to seen the end of the tunnel.) Then Ahmonket became my favorite set since Torment so it was definitely worth it.

@TheGloriousLobsterEmperor

3 жыл бұрын

@@OrcDragon65 Good on ya for sticking through!

@OrcDragon65

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheGloriousLobsterEmperor Getting into Commander and away from 60 card magic helped a ton. When Standard got to be too Energy based, I switched to trying to make my first few EDH decks. And then I went back after Standard shifted.

Always quality content, thanks for your work.

I adore this series

I love these deck videos maybe after your done with the top tier decks you can do like tier 2 decks that have been around forever and whatnot

I'm sure you'll get there eventually but I'd love to see Merfolk and Faeries!

I'm genuinely surprised vintage didn't rly have one considering the zero drop mana rocks it has access to

Broodstar was daddy affinity, I remember the moment i was like wow wait what if i just add all the artifact lands

Great stuff. If not prepared, you can easily got run over by a Ravager. I played main deck March of the Machines and turns 1-3 artifact hate back in the day, and sometimes it still wasn't enough! Good times!

I know that this channel focuses on tournaments, but pauper affinity is pretty impressive for the format

Great video! Funny to hear how people left magic right at the time I joined it. The first thing I learned was how broken affinity was haha. Just a little note about "Birmingham". The way those things get pronounced in Britain is "Bur-ming-'um". I'm saying this in case you ever need to say the name of a place in your history videos and want to say it in the local way. We've got so many ex-hamlets here in the UK so I wouldn't be surprised if it comes up. Whenever an American says "ham" for these place names it sounds very weird to the rest of us.

"Hammer Time" in modern is basically the new Affinity. Still plays your Memnites, Springleaf Drums, Cranial Platings, etc. Just now also with Sigarda's Aid + Colossus Hammer combo

Love these series

I just played kitchen table back during the first Mirrodin block and I had an "affinity" deck with things like Hunger of the Nim and Nim Shrieker. Even like that it was too busted to play with friends lmao

Arcbound Ravager is my baby girl. Favorite creature of all time. Favorite deck of all time. Hardened Scales Affinity 4 LIFE!

Oh shit new deck history just dropped

The affinity pauper is one of my favorite decks to play.

This was around the time I quit playing Magic (2006), wasn't a fan of the artifact lands and affinity. Still enjoy your top 10, history, and set review videos though. 👍👍

I was one of those exiled from the game because of mirrodin. Guys playing extended for years suddenly had new players who only bought Mirrodin being able to beat us, and it was obvious what you were supposed to do cuz of the key words/abilities. It made the game too easy for new players, and was the first time mtg had really built a set like that. I came back maybe 5 years later, mostly playing draft. Ironically enough, my first set back was Scars of Mirrodin.

Thanks affinity is finally here ( :

If anything affinity will probably shift to green with the counter support in that color

The start of affinity decks was Broodstar because it was the affinity mechanic, later Arcbound Ravager decks were based on modular mechanic. Kind of ironic.

All the traumatic memories from my first year...they're all coming back...AAAGGGHHH!!!

@kingfuzzy2

3 жыл бұрын

Condolences

Bait and bludgeon was my first ever MTG deck

Buddy of mine took two foil arcbound ravagers in his trade binder to a draft tournament. He got two binder sleeves front and back of trade stuff for them. They were band literally the next day. It was hilarious 😂😂😂

@kingfuzzy2

3 жыл бұрын

It's so beautiful

3:00 Stea of the Synod? Don't you mean *Stew* of the Synod? 😂

my first deck was affinity good memory

The older Affinity decks with the original artifact lands became legendary. Back when standard was a big deal.

You should’ve mentioned affinity in pauper!

@NizzahonMagic

3 жыл бұрын

I have to limit my scope to premier formats or things get crazy

I left mtg at this time. It actually made you think the Fallen Empire days were better.

Yessss, let me bathe in your tears as my artifact decks scrambleverse your dream caches into oblivion stones. Soon, I'll buyback ALL of your fringe Modern staples you thoughtcast to make a deck against the might of my darksteel, fool!

Anyone notice Stea of the Synod in the first decklist?

Anyone know what the music at the start of the video with the birds is? I want to hear the rest, but cant search do dooo doo, ya know?

@Red-Tower

3 жыл бұрын

Might be "I Can Feel it Coming" by Kevin MacLeod?

I think Pauper Affinity should've been mentioned somewhat here.

3:05 There's an error. It says Stea of the Synod instead of Seat. It is what it is

I love steel overseer

When Mirrodin came out, I left Magic. My friend showed me the Middle-Earth: The Wizards ccg at that time, and I realized it was a MUCH superior game to mtg. Too bad it's a dead ccg.

@kingfuzzy2

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah my parents wouldn't let me play magic as a kid but let me play lotr trading cards. Really glad that going first does more in magic.

@PapooseLovesIt

3 жыл бұрын

I love the middle-earth game. Im lucky my friends and i still have home games

@kingfuzzy2

3 жыл бұрын

Very

You should do an update soon after MH 3. Many new impactfull cards to the archetype: urza's saga, simulacrum synthesizer, ugin's labyrint coming up

Why did this video leave out pre ravager affinity?

The 100dls True affinity is a freaking buldozer XD

I remember affinity before darksteel BROODSTAR!

Stea of the Synod

I run a harden scales modern deck in mtgo and it’s a ton of fun. I have like 3 ways to kill people so I have options ^_^

is ravager shops the vintage affinity variant?

@NizzahonMagic

3 жыл бұрын

Kinda. As I said in the video.

History of Affinty decks feels like something a little kid would want in the game. Game has an overpowering mechanic, it just reeks of little kid god complex. "Can I have the Sliver mechanic from the Tempest block," "just way more busted."

i used to have an affinity deck

Actually , pauper aff is rock and very good deck

@NizzahonMagic

3 жыл бұрын

This series doesn't cover pauper

Didn't someone top8 a Modern GP with Affinity shortly after Guild of Ravnica was realeased, playing the new card Experimental Frenzy?

@kingfuzzy2

3 жыл бұрын

Yes

I was one of the Magic players who quit over the banning of affinity

between this and storm, best mechanics in the game

@NizzahonMagic

2 жыл бұрын

Nah, Companion and Phyrexian Mana for sure.

Because of you hat BOOMER SOONER! LETS GO OU

rip opal

Love the hat, boomer sooner!

"Stea of the Synod"?

What about pauper

@NizzahonMagic

3 жыл бұрын

Not a premiere format, so I don't cover it here

affinity died for urza's sins.

Didn't Affinity basically morph into Tron?

@NizzahonMagic

3 жыл бұрын

No. The two decks have very little in common.

@kingfuzzy2

3 жыл бұрын

Ones a tinker deck the other one is a weissman (Mana efficiency) deck

@egoalter1276

2 ай бұрын

Tron is a midrange ramp deck, affinity is a fast aggro deck.

Everything changed when MH2 attacked.

So the first affinity deck was broodstar.... why is it not being acknowledged?

@NizzahonMagic

2 жыл бұрын

The Broodstar deck was one variant of the Block Affinity deck. One of the decks had it in the Block Pro Tour. Meanwhile, the other two didn't. If anything, it was simultaneous, not first. Should I have briefly mentioned Broodstar? Maybe. But because it has no role after Block, it made more sense to focus on the decks that went in the other direction.

@magwaaf

2 жыл бұрын

dealt with it a ton in standard around here. it was big... for 4 months lol

Now with new Artifact Duel lands, you'll be able to break to format again lol

I feel like this video was a couple months too early, seeing how MH2 helped

Is prowess a competitive deck?

@NizzahonMagic

2 жыл бұрын

It has been at times

@gigawarman12

2 жыл бұрын

@@NizzahonMagic how old does the deck/archetype have to be for discussion on deck history.

12:45 notices deck name owo wats this Yes i know that joke was terrible

Mans missed the beginning of Affinity. Broodstar used to OWN people.

Nice cap

Algorithm

6:29 "The deck was absurd and it actually lead to a major exodus of players from the game who became disillusioned as a result of affinity." I was one of those that left.

first?

@elliotthood1719

3 жыл бұрын

👌😉

@ymmijx6061

3 жыл бұрын

seconded. motion carries.

I quit after these sets cycled and so did many people I knew but it wasn't because t hey were disillusioned, it was because they did an asian inspired set afterwards and not only did it stick out like a sore thumb all the abilities were just horrible. The only people who say they quit because of the former reason were a decade later, I'm pretty sure I'm being gas lit right here.

@delconagher12

3 жыл бұрын

I quit because they banned affinity. I'm like are we going to get a refund for our money?

@egoalter1276

2 ай бұрын

This has happened multiple times. Busted ass set strangles the meta, a lot of it gets banned and they follow up with an underpowered one. Urza's block followed by Masques for example. There's a bunch of reasons to quit, from stagnant mera to bannings, to low power followup, but every time it happens it leads to a loss of players. They stopped doing it when Kaledesh was similarly broken, and lo and behold, powercreep flew into the stratoaphear. The game is more or less domed to bwcome YGO before long.

As someone who lived through this era, I feel it's inappropriate to talk about the origins of Affinity decks without mentioning Broodstar Affinity.

@NizzahonMagic

3 жыл бұрын

I loves through the era too. Broodstar affinity was definitely a thing, but one PT Top 8 is all it had, and it wasn't markedly different

@monogreen

3 жыл бұрын

@@NizzahonMagic It was the only time affinity has been more of a control deck rather than an aggro deck. I feel that even if you don't go over it in detail it's at least worth a mention, even as a footnote at the start of the video.

@delconagher12

3 жыл бұрын

@@NizzahonMagic pre Darksteel everybody ran with Broodstar.

Stea of the Synod