In the Modern format of Magic: The Gathering, one of the primeval and most reputable decks is Affinity, an antiquity aggro deck capable of explosive early-game plays. To newcomers, these aggressive robots may seem unstoppable, with eight/1 lifelink fliers on turn three or a board of artifacts pumped upwards with +1/+1 counters and an Infect programme B on pinnacle of that. But fifty-fifty Affinity has weaknesses to exploit.

Sideboard Options: White, Blueish and Black

Sideboarding against an Affinity deck means knowing what sort of cards it contains and how those cards are used. Affinity decks are non only proactive aggro decks, only they besides brand heavy apply of activated abilities, peculiarly since these dump their entire hand on the board early on earlier they run out of gas. Cranial Plating is a powerful Equipment, and Arcbound Ravager and Steel Overseer have useful abilities as well, along with the manlands Inkmoth Nexus and Blinkmoth Nexus.

Anti-analogousness cards can disable these activated abilities, destroy artifacts, destroy lands and counter certain artifact spells. White mana is well-equipped to face Analogousness, such equally with the enchantment Stony Silence. Costing but 1W, Stony Silence disables the activated abilities of all artifacts, making Steel Overseer, Mox Opal, Arcbound Ravager and Cranial Plating practically useless. Of course, this means Stony Silence'due south caster must be fix for their own artifacts to lose admission to their abilities.

White man besides offers Kataki, War's Wage, a cheap Spirit that gives all artifacts "At the beginning of your budget, sacrifice this artifact unless you pay {1}." Analogousness decks won't be able to pay for all of their artifacts, and they'll spend a lot of mana keeping those that remain.

Bluish gives access to Hurkyl's Recollect, a in instant costing 1U that returns all artifacts a player controls to their paw. This is a temporary measure out, but it can purchase the caster some time, especially if Snapcaster Mage targets it a turn or two subsequently.  Accept a way to capitalize on this bought time, such as attacking back on an empty board or digging for more permanent answers.

Blue too offers Steel Sabotage, a cheap counterspell costing only U that can bounce an artifact or counter an antiquity spell. Similarly, Ceremonious Rejection can counter any colorless spell for simply U. Spell Snare counters any spell with a CMC of ii, in this instance Arcbound Ravager, Vault Skirge, Cranial Plating, Spellskite and Steel Overseer.

Black mana has relatively few options for fighting Affinity, but it does accept Fatal Push button, which is a great sideboard card for utilise against aggro decks like Affinity and Burn.

Sideboard Options: Blood-red, Green, Multicolor and More than

Carmine is known for destroying artifacts, and it has many options against Affinity, though some are better than others. Aboriginal Grudge is ordinarily the right call, every bit it'south Shatter with an upside: having Flashback for only G. One card destroying two artifacts is an excellent bargain, and information technology's worth splashing green for if needed. Red cards besides include Shattering Spree, a red-heavy carte du jour with Replicate that allows the caster to destroy as many artifacts as they have cherry-red mana. The Amonkhet set includes By Force, which is deadening (it's a sorcery), merely it scales up well. It costs XR and can destroy 10 target artifacts, allowing it to cyberspace massive card advantage against Affinity if the caster tin can survive that long.

Light-green can pay for Ancient Grudge's Flashback price, but it also includes Nature'south Merits, which can destroy an artifact for just G and give that artifact's controller four life. If it means destroying Cranial Plating and ownership some time, then that four life may exist worth it.

Multicolor options confronting Affinity offset with Kolaghan's Command, an instant costing 1BR that is known for its flexibility and potential for menu advantage. Against Analogousness, it tin destroy an antiquity and deal two damage to a target. This means it could damage a target like Vault Skirge and destroy an activated Inkmoth Nexus. If the Affinity deck has Spellskite out, be set for it to redirect the "two impairment" clause to itself. Suit by targeting the thespian or choosing other modes on the menu instead of the "2 harm" mode. Subversive Carousal costs RG and destroys and artifact or enchantment and deals two damage to the target'southward controller.

Finally, colorless options against Affinity exist, such as Ghost Quarter. This land does more than slow down Tron; it can hitting Inkmoth Nexus or Blinkmoth Nexus to remove a creature and mana source at the same fourth dimension. The Affinity deck won't always take a basic state to fetch for. Alpine Moon and Blood Moon tin convert Affinity's many nonbasic lands into ordinary Mountains, eliminating them as threats.

Phyrexian Revoker and Pithing Needle may name Cranial Plating, Steel Overseer, Arcbound Ravager, Inkmoth Nexus or Blinkmoth Nexus, depending on which ane the caster can't handle by other means. Chalice of the Void can also practice some piece of work, particularly if played with cipher charge counters on turn one on the play. Thus, the Beaker can counter zippo-driblet spells similar Mox Opal and Memnite, or it can be bandage on ii to stop a variety of threats. Of course, Chalice's pulley should adjust their ain deck via sideboarding to minimize the collateral harm.

KEEP READING: Magic: The Gathering - Ravnica's Simic Combine Social club, Explained

Why Is The MCU's Phase 4 Ignoring Its Biggest Universe Modify So Far?

Read Side by side

About The Author

Louis Kemner (4137 Articles Published)

Louis Kemner has been a fan of Japanese animation since 1997, when he discovered Pokemon and Dragon Brawl Z in elementary school. Now he'southward a bigger anime/manga fan than ever, and is fix to share what he knows with readers worldwide. He graduated high school in 2009 and received his Bachelor's in creative writing from UMKC in 2013, then put his skills to work in 2022 with CBR.com. He's ever looking for a wonderful new anime to watch or manga series to read.

More From Louis Kemner