Legacy is for the most part the most diverse format is all of magic. Theoretically you can play just about anything in the format as long as it has at least some good match-ups with the tier one decks of the format.

This is a list that I am currently working on is a variation Stoneblade using thopter-sword as a win condition.




Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by: Corey Vangel

Not your ordinary Stoneblade deck...

Lands: 22
1x Academy Ruins
4x Flooded Strand
1x Island
1x Karakas
1x Marsh Flats
1x Plains
4x Polluted Delta
1x Scrubland
1x Seat of the Synod
1x Swamp
3x Tundra
3x Underground Sea

Creatures: 5
2x Snapcaster Mage
3x Stoneforge Mystic

Instants/ Sorceries: 21
4x Brainstorm
1x Counterspell
1x Enlightened Tutor
4x Force of Will
1x Spell Pierce
4x Swords to Plowshares
2x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Ponder
2x Thoughtseize
1x Vindicate

Artifacts: 8
1x Batterskull
1x Engineered Explosives
2x Sword of the Meek
3x Thopter Foundry
1x Umezawa’s Jitte

Planeswalkers: 4
3x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1x Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas

Sideboard: 15
2x Blue Elemental Blast
1x Darkblast
1x Disenchant
1x Ethersworn Canonist
1x Flusterstorm
1x Karmic Justice
1x Misdirection
2x Nihil Spellbomb
1x Supreme Verdict
2x Surgical Extraction
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Thoughtseize

For those of you who haven’t read my articles before, the premise of Stoneblade is to get a Stoneforge Mystic down and depending on what is in your hand, a Sword of the Meek to complete your combo, a Batterskull against control, or a Umezawa’s Jitte against aggressive decks. The Sword of the Meek combo in question goes as such. You pay one mana to sacrifice Sword of the Meek to Thopter Foundry, since Thopter Foundry produces a 1/1 flying thopter creature, you can attach Sword of the Meek to the newly created thopter, and then repeat this process equal to the amount of mana you have out.

These are some of the cards that will help you edge out your opponents during your matches.

Academy Ruins:
Academy ruins is the card while a one of is often very important to helping your deck run as it can often guarantee you the ability to rebuy your artifacts if your opponent counters them or abrupt decays them, it also allows you to recycle your seat of the synod if you are low on lands.

Snapcaster Mage:
Snapcaster Mage allows for you to play any of the instants/ sorceries in your deck again, which as it turns out as quite versatile, whether it’s casting Swords to Plowshares again to deal with a problematic threat, or casting a brainstorm again to dig for answers to win the game, Snapcaster Mage will help you achieve it.

Stoneforge Mystic:
Stoneforge Mystic aids in several ways, the main one is allowing you to uncounterably “cast” your threats which helps in all of your control match-ups. Stoneforge Mystic’s ability also allows you to search up a Batterskull or an Umezawa’s Jitte to stop aggro decks in their tracks, or if you have your Thopter Foundry get your Sword of the Meek which often puts the deck out of reach.

Sword of the Meek/ Thopter Foundry:
Not so much a single card combination as a way to put games out of reach for almost every deck in the format when the round goes long and both players go into top-deck mode. Most often if you can untap with this combo out, your opponent will not be able to kill you.

Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas:
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas is another one of the cards in this deck that allows you to end stalemates by making your do nothing artifacts into 5/5 creatures and swing through for victory, also if you have your thopter-sword combo out, Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas will often win games on his own as he can plus one, then kill your opponent with his ultimate.

Match-ups:

Versus Merfolk:
When playing against Merfolk, you should do your best to mitigate the advantage gained off of Aether Vial either by countering the Aether Vial outright or using your Swords to Plowshares on their lords so you can let your Batterskull do the rest. Post-board you should bring in the Disenchant, the Karmic Justice, the Misdirection and the Supreme Verdict.

Versus Maverick:
When playing against Maverick, it is best to deal with their problematic creatures such as Gaddock Teeg, Mother of Runes and Thalia, Guardian of Thraben by either countering them, or exiling them with Swords to Plowshares, besides that you should aim to set up your thopter-sword combo and only counter what you have to and this match-up will go fine. Post-board you should bring in the Darkblast, the Disenchant, the Karmic Justice, the Supreme Verdict and the Sword of Feast and Famine.

Versus Elves:
When playing against Elves, you should understand what threats that elves play are important. For example, rather than countering their individual threats you should do your best to counter only their enabler cards like Glimpse of Nature and Elvish Archdruid as it will significantly slow down their combo which will make this match-up easy. Post-board you should bring in the Darkblast, the Ethersworn Canonist, the Supreme Verdict, the Sword of Feast and Famine and the Thoughtseize.

Versus Stoneblade (mirror):
When playing against the mirror, it is important to realize that having the thopter-sword combo actually puts you at an advantage in this match-up as the Stoneblade mirrors can go long, and when you are both in top-deck mode, the thopter-sword combo will often win games on its own. Also if you can counter their key threats you will be able to win via Batterskull. Post-board you should bring in the Disenchant, the Misdirection and the Thoughtseize.

Versus Miracles:
When playing against Miracles, you should try and force through your thopter-sword combo as unless they can terminus your thopters every single turn, they cannot come back from the aggressive push that you have created, if however they manage to get their soft-lock of Counterbalance and Sensei’s Divining top early, this match-up will be an uphill battle if not impossible to win. Post-board you should bring in the Disenchant, the Misdirection and the Thoughtseize.

Versus BUG:
When playing against BUG if you can keep down a Stoneforge Mystic long enough to drop a Batterskull, you will be able to turn it into an uphill battle for your opponent to deal with, that being said it is an uphill battle that they can easily achieve, so you also have to continue the pressure with either your thopter-sword combo or landing a jace, the Mind Sculptor or a Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas to put the game completely out of reach. Post-board you should bring in the Ethersworn Canonist, the Karmic Justice, the Misdirection, the Supreme Verdict, the Sword of Feast and Famine and the Thoughtseize.

Versus RUG Delver:
When playing against RUG Delver you have to do your best to get them to go into the long game, either by countering their Tarmogoyfs and Nimble Mongooses or keeping a Planeswalker in play, forcing them to play into your plans. If you can manage to drag the game out then they will be in top-deck mode and you will still have your combo and your threats to pull ahead of them, if however they can stick and hold their Nimble Mongooses early, then your plans change as you have to get a Batterskull into play in order to stem the tide of mongoose fury. Post-board you should bring in both Blue Elemental Blasts, the Karmic Justice, the Misdirection, both Nihil Spellbombs, the Supreme Verdict and the Sword of Feast and Famine.

Versus BUG Delver:
When playing against BUG delver like RUG delver to have to do your best to put them into top-deck mode either by dropping a Stoneforge Mystic or a Planeswalker to put them on their back-foot long enough to drag them into the late-game. If however they can get a good portion of threats down early then not even a well-timed Batterskull will be able to save you. Post-board you should bring in the Darkblast, the Karmic Justice, the Misdirection, the Supreme Verdict and the Sword of Feast and Famine.

Versus Jund:
When playing against Jund, you have to be able to recognise when potential lines of play as it will often dictate in what order that you play your threats in, for example, if they lead on a Deathrite Shaman, you either have to Swords to Plowshares it, or be prepared to counter either the Liliana of the Veil or the Hymn to Tourach that will quickly follow, if they Thoughtseize turn one then they will likely be using it to make sure that their Dark Confidant or Tarmogoyf that will surely follow. Post-board you should bring in both Blue Elemental Blasts, the Ethersworn Cannonist, the Karmic Justice, the Misdirection, the
Supreme Verdict and the Sword of Feast and Famine.

Versus High Tide:
When playing against High Tide, it is important to force them onto their back-foot early with your disruption package, forcing them to find more of them with the cantrips they would normally be using to go off with. If you can manage to take the important spells from their hand then you will be able to sail through this match-up. If however you are not proactive with your disruption then the High Tide player will combo off and you will sit there for twenty minutes as they draw through their library over and over. Post-board the Ethersworn Canonist, the Flusterstorm, both Nihil Spellbombs, both Surgical Extractions and the Thoughtseize.

Versus Sneak and Show:
When playing against Sneak and Show, it is important to realize that they have a standard line of play when playing against decks that are heavy in counters, such as yours. This standard line of play is to put a Sneak and Show onto the Battlefield via Show and Tell and then use the remainder of their red mana to push a Griselbrand or an Emrakul, the Aeons Torn onto the battlefield and win the game. If you can proactively use your disruption while maintaining a clock on your opponent then they will have a hard time getting through your counters when it comes down to the spells that matter. Post-board you should bring in both Blue Elemental Blasts, the Disenchant, the Misdirection, both Surgical Extractions and the Thoughtseize.

Versus Omni-show:
When playing against Omni-Show, it is a good idea to proactively use your disruption to force them to dig harder with their cantrips. If you continue to use your disruption on the important things, when they do have to attempt to force something through, they will not be able to get past your wall of counters. Post- board you should bring in the Disenchant, the Ethersworn Canonist, the Flusterstorm, the Misdirection, both Surgical Extractions and the Thoughtseize.

Versus ANT:
When playing against ANT, it is probably best like most combo match-ups to effectively and proactively use your disruption on their key cards, usually their Dark Rituals and their Lions Eye Diamonds which enable them to combo off easier. If however you keep a loose hand against this match-up they will combo off through your counterspells and it will not be pretty. Post-board you should bring in the Ethersworn Canonist, the Flusterstorm, both Nihil Spellbombs, both Surgical Extractions, and the Thoughtseize.

When side boarding with this deck, remember to sideboard out only your dead cards as it will improve your overall top-deck action.

You should play this deck if:

• You like playing control
• You like maintaining advantage with disruption and removal
• You like using combos

You shouldn’t play this deck if:

• You prefer playing aggro
• You don’t like grinding out wins via incremental advantage
• You think combos are stupid

This is but a small taste of how to play Stoneblade, if you have any questions or would like me to post about a different deck, please feel free in the comment section below.

Corey Vangel
@Zielle47