This new card from MoM, might be the critical piece to unlocking a new archetype, or at least taking an existing one to a new level. It isn't a high powered archetype, but should fit into a lot of cubes in this forum.
Tl;dr
- A Boros archetype that isn't equipment matters
- Low to mid power level
- Bleeds into many different archetypes (Artifacts, Vehicles, Blink, Counters, Tokens, Ramp, Dwarf Tribal!?)
- Naturally works with games of MTG. No tappers? Just attack as a failsafe way to trigger your payoffs
Back to the Awakener. The floor is bad (3/2 for 3), but it scales very well. If you have any creatures lying around or have extra mana, you end up with a huge board. White already has access to these types of effects, but none of them with convoke, which makes it unique. The tokens it provides are like mini-Hellriders that push through damage when attacking, but also synergize really well with other convoke/tap cards.
Taping Enablers
Staying in Boros, we have a bunch of enablers like the Awakener (non-exhaustive list!)
Convoke
Converting creatures into mana is very powerful and can lead to explosive turns with multiple spells being cast.
Tapping abilities
These cards allow you to get extra value from tapping your creatures.
Vehicles
Vehicles are another surefire way to get your creatures tapped. They usually have decent stats and contribute to artifact density.
Activated abilities
Turns out, there is a tap ability in Magic! These work by themselves and with the payoffs from the next section.
Evasive threats
Attacking also taps creatures. So if you can land some evasive threats and swing, they will benefit from the payoffs. This is why I think this archetype has merit, it rewards you for doing something that is built into the game.
Converting creatures into mana is very powerful and can lead to explosive turns with multiple spells being cast.
Tapping abilities
These cards allow you to get extra value from tapping your creatures.
Vehicles
Vehicles are another surefire way to get your creatures tapped. They usually have decent stats and contribute to artifact density.
Activated abilities
Turns out, there is a tap ability in Magic! These work by themselves and with the payoffs from the next section.
Evasive threats
Attacking also taps creatures. So if you can land some evasive threats and swing, they will benefit from the payoffs. This is why I think this archetype has merit, it rewards you for doing something that is built into the game.
Tapping payoffs
Although most of the enablers are solid on their own, there are a few ways to go even deeper than the Awakener tokens.
Sanwell: A 3/1 with conditional protection and conditional card advantage. With a list dedicated to supporting artifacts, Sanwell becomes a lot less conditional and a potential powerhouse.
Magda: Also cares about artifacts and even produces some. Getting a Treasure for each attack or convoked spell is great ramp and maybe even dwarf tribal?!
Lulu: This one is pretty wild, but with Treasures from Magda, Fetchlands, Bouncelands, artifact trinkets, blink effects or bounce you get to trigger it fairly reliably and in a variety of ways. You also give your creatures pseudo vigilance and lean into +1/+1 counters. Really great blending of themes to let your drafters get creative.
Vanisher: Pretty sweet and open-ended blink enabler that conveniently triggers Lulu. I like that it encourages attacking if you don't have your tappers and the hybrid mana is always a plus in my book.
General: Another +1/+1 counter enabler, giving a lot of redundancy if you want to go that route.
Throne: Allows your surviving attacking creatures to dome the opponent or your convoke spells to close out a game.
Cross pollinisation
Although tapping creatures seems like a narrow theme, the payoffs are pretty open-ended, meaning you can slip them into other themes since creatures naturally tap themselves upon attack.
Blink
With Mistmeadow Vanisher and Lulu, Loyal Hollyphant, there is an incentive to add a blink theme.
I really like effects that can blink/bounce any type of permanent, since you can then get creative. Want to blink Sagas? Lands? Artifacts? Go for it!
Artifacts
This theme can go in several directions.
If you are blinking artifacts, then equipments that can be replayed for value rise in stock
You can also flood the board with artifact creatures for your payoffs.
A "fun" avenue to take the artifact theme is a stax deck.
The Aether Grid and Wire allow you to tap your artifacts, turning them off and only harming the opponent. The Grid is also a win condition so the games finish in a timely fashion. You can also go with Howling Mine and Genesis Chamber which benefit you instead of harming your opponents. Maybe this is a shell for Meria, Scholar of Antiquity to really shine in?
Tokens
The more fodder you have, easier it will be to use your convoke and tapping effects.
+1/+1 counters
With Lulu, General, Venerated Loxodon and Collective Effort, you have a strong basis for a +1/+1 counter deck.
Are all solid pieces that fit into the tapping theme too.
Dwarf tribal
And this is where we go off the deep end.
With Magda and Depala acting as incidental tribal lords and caring about artifacts, you can then add some more dwarfs that also care about artifacts (and to a lesser extent blink and counters).
Spells matter
Artifacts, dwarfs and vehicles tie nicely into a spells matter archetype.
Other colors
Green
Green has plenty of ways to tap things be it mana dorks or other effects. It naturally fits into White with Emmara, Soul of the Accord and Glare of Subdual. Meria, Scholar of Antiquity is an exciting build around for Gruul too.
Blue
Chief Engineer and Inspiring Statuary lean into the artifact theme allowing for some solid ramp. Convoke spells are more abundant thanks to the release of MoM. You even have stuff like Saheeli, Filigree Master and Shorikai, Genesis Engine to push the artifact theme even further.
Black
Sadly, other inspired cards haven't really impressed me, but Pain Seer and Macar both seem very reasonable for the archetype. Cryptbreaker taps itself and other zombies for profit which is exactly what we want.
Green has plenty of ways to tap things be it mana dorks or other effects. It naturally fits into White with Emmara, Soul of the Accord and Glare of Subdual. Meria, Scholar of Antiquity is an exciting build around for Gruul too.
Blue
Chief Engineer and Inspiring Statuary lean into the artifact theme allowing for some solid ramp. Convoke spells are more abundant thanks to the release of MoM. You even have stuff like Saheeli, Filigree Master and Shorikai, Genesis Engine to push the artifact theme even further.
Black
Sadly, other inspired cards haven't really impressed me, but Pain Seer and Macar both seem very reasonable for the archetype. Cryptbreaker taps itself and other zombies for profit which is exactly what we want.
I struggle to fluidly explain my thoughts, but hopefully this has some of you interested in exploring this tap archetype a little. I'd love to hear some suggestions and thoughts about this theme!
