Welcome to Duel Deck #4, featuring...Koth! Just kicking off your Planeswalker Deck Project journey? No worries, I've got the intro article and my first few decks right here for ya.
First off, let's do a little refresher on Koth of the Hammer. After all, even though he's always struck me as a fairly popular character, he's only been in one set over the last dozen years.
Here's what we know:
Those 3 facts provide us with a great starting point!
Let's check out our heavy hitters:
Magic: The Gathering TCG Deck - Koth of the Hammer by Andy Hurst
'Koth of the Hammer' - constructed deck list and prices for the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Andy Hurst
Event:
Rank:
Freeform (Casual)
Market Price: $42.41
Prophet of the Peak
Market Price: $0.02
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/199544_200w.jpg
When Prophet of the Peak enters the battlefield, scry 2. (Look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/throne-of-eldraine/prophet-of-the-peak
Spitting Earth
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/216133_200w.jpg
Spitting Earth deals damage to target creature equal to the number of Mountains you control.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/jumpstart/spitting-earth
Hammer of Purphoros
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $1.64
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/71026_200w.jpg
Creatures you control have haste.
{2}{R}, {T}, Sacrifice a land: Create a 3/3 colorless Golem enchantment artifact creature token.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/theros/hammer-of-purphoros
Mountain
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.99
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/230467_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {R}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/kaldheim/mountain
Koth of the Hammer
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $4.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/58087_200w.jpg
+1: Untap target Mountain. It becomes a 4/4 red Elemental creature until end of turn. It's still a land.
−2: Add {R} for each Mountain you control.
−5: You get an emblem with "Mountains you control have '{T}: This land deals 1 damage to any target.'"Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/duel-decks-venser-vs-koth/koth-of-the-hammer
Serum Tank
Market Price: $0.18
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/37431_200w.jpg
Whenever Serum Tank or another artifact enters the battlefield, put a charge counter on Serum Tank.
{3}, {T}, Remove a charge counter from Serum Tank: Draw a card.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/planechase/serum-tank
Grab the Reins
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/124524_200w.jpg
Choose one —
• Until end of turn, you gain control of target creature and it gains haste.
• Sacrifice a creature. Grab the Reins deals damage equal to that creature's power to any target.
Entwine {2}{R} (Choose both if you pay the entwine cost.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2016/grab-the-reins
Hammer of Ruin
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/34379_200w.jpg
Equipped creature gets +2/+0.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, you may destroy target Equipment that player controls.
Equip {2}Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/worldwake/hammer-of-ruin
Hammer of Bogardan
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.31
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11153_200w.jpg
Hammer of Bogardan deals 3 damage to any target.
{2}{R}{R}{R}: Return Hammer of Bogardan from your graveyard to your hand. Activate this ability only during your upkeep.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/8th-edition/hammer-of-bogardan
Darksteel Citadel
Market Price: $0.31
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218795_200w.jpg
Indestructible
{T}: Add {C}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/double-masters/darksteel-citadel
Rusted Relic
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/98394_200w.jpg
Metalcraft — Rusted Relic is a 5/5 Golem artifact creature as long as you control three or more artifacts.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-masters-2015/rusted-relic
Staff of the Flame Magus
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/90952_200w.jpg
Whenever you cast a red spell or a Mountain enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 1 life.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/magic-2015-m15/staff-of-the-flame-magus
Drooling Ogre
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11707_200w.jpg
Whenever a player casts an artifact spell, that player gains control of Drooling Ogre. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/darksteel/drooling-ogre
Clockwork Servant
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/199110_200w.jpg
Adamant — When Clockwork Servant enters the battlefield, if at least three mana of the same color was spent to cast it, draw a card.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/throne-of-eldraine/clockwork-servant
Hammerhand
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/145472_200w.jpg
Enchant creature
When Hammerhand enters the battlefield, target creature can't block this turn.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has haste. (It can attack and {T} no matter when it came under your control.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/iconic-masters/hammerhand
Embersmith
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.06
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/36356_200w.jpg
Whenever you cast an artifact spell, you may pay {1}. If you do, Embersmith deals 1 damage to any target.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/scars-of-mirrodin/embersmith
Oxidda Golem
Market Price: $0.19
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/93805_200w.jpg
Affinity for Mountains (This spell costs {1} less to cast for each Mountain you control.)
HasteBuy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/duel-decks-anthology/oxidda-golem
Galvanic Blast
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218930_200w.jpg
Galvanic Blast deals 2 damage to any target. Metalcraft — Galvanic Blast deals 4 damage instead if you control three or more artifacts.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/double-masters/galvanic-blast
Pyrite Spellbomb
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218600_200w.jpg
{R}, Sacrifice Pyrite Spellbomb: It deals 2 damage to any target.
{1}, Sacrifice Pyrite Spellbomb: Draw a card.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/double-masters/pyrite-spellbomb
Claws of Valakut
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/46873_200w.jpg
Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 for each Mountain you control and has first strike.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/duel-decks-knights-vs-dragons/claws-of-valakut
Anger
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $3.45
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/180929_200w.jpg
Haste As long as Anger is in your graveyard and you control a Mountain, creatures you control have haste.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/ultimate-masters/anger
Great Furnace
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.49
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/171209_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {R}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2018/great-furnace
Mirror Golem
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11519_200w.jpg
Imprint — When Mirror Golem enters the battlefield, you may exile target card from a graveyard. Mirror Golem has protection from each of the exiled card's card types. (Artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal are card types.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/mirrodin/mirror-golem
Foundry of the Consuls
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/171243_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}.
{5}, {T}, Sacrifice Foundry of the Consuls: Create two 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature tokens with flying.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2018/foundry-of-the-consuls
Goblin Replica
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11492_200w.jpg
{3}{R}, Sacrifice Goblin Replica: Destroy target artifact.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/mirrodin/goblin-replica
Spiraling Duelist
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/39102_200w.jpg
Metalcraft — Spiraling Duelist has double strike as long as you control three or more artifacts.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/mirrodin-besieged/spiraling-duelist
Snapsail Glider
Market Price: $0.06
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/36524_200w.jpg
Metalcraft — Snapsail Glider has flying as long as you control three or more artifacts.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/scars-of-mirrodin/snapsail-glider
Henge Walker
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/199111_200w.jpg
Adamant — If at least three mana of the same color was spent to cast this spell, Henge Walker enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/throne-of-eldraine/henge-walker
Blade-Tribe Berserkers
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/36469_200w.jpg
Metalcraft — When Blade-Tribe Berserkers enters the battlefield, if you control three or more artifacts, Blade-Tribe Berserkers gets +3/+3 and gains haste until end of turn.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/scars-of-mirrodin/blade-tribe-berserkers
Myr Sire
Market Price: $0.22
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/216472_200w.jpg
When Myr Sire dies, create a 1/1 colorless Myr artifact creature token.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/jumpstart/myr-sire
Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.47
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215449_200w.jpg
Flying
Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge can't attack unless you control four or more artifacts.
At the beginning of your end step, create a Treasure token for each nontoken creature that died this turn. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/core-set-2021/gadrak-the-crown-scourge
Jaws of Stone
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/58083_200w.jpg
Jaws of Stone deals X damage divided as you choose among any number of targets, where X is the number of Mountains you control as you cast this spell.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/duel-decks-venser-vs-koth/jaws-of-stone
Volcanic Hammer
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/12879_200w.jpg
Volcanic Hammer deals 3 damage to any target.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/9th-edition/volcanic-hammer
Mask of Immolation
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/192670_200w.jpg
When Mask of Immolation enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 red Elemental creature token, then attach Mask of Immolation to it.
Equipped creature has "Sacrifice this creature: It deals 1 damage to any target."
Equip {2} ({2}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/core-set-2020/mask-of-immolation
Akoum Hellkite
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/104995_200w.jpg
Flying Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, Akoum Hellkite deals 1 damage to any target. If that land is a Mountain, Akoum Hellkite deals 2 damage instead.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/battle-for-zendikar/akoum-hellkite
Shrine of Burning Rage
Market Price: $0.68
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/39578_200w.jpg
At the beginning of your upkeep or whenever you cast a red spell, put a charge counter on Shrine of Burning Rage.
{3}, {T}, Sacrifice Shrine of Burning Rage: It deals damage equal to the number of charge counters on it to any target.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/new-phyrexia/shrine-of-burning-rage
Chrome Steed
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/36422_200w.jpg
Metalcraft — Chrome Steed gets +2/+2 as long as you control three or more artifacts.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/scars-of-mirrodin/chrome-steed
Colossus Hammer
Market Price: $0.83
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/192744_200w.jpg
Equipped creature gets +10/+10 and loses flying.
Equip {8} ({8}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/core-set-2020/colossus-hammer
Hammerheim
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $6.75
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/3896_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {R}.
{T}: Target creature loses all landwalk abilities until end of turn.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/legends/hammerheim
Koth is a proud Mirran, so it's important to reflect that with a spread of artifact creatures and Metalcraft synergies (the representative mechanic of the Mirran side of the Mirran/Phyrexian conflict). We've got lots of solid mechanical forces, with Chrome Steeds, Henge Walker, Oxidda Golems, Clockwork Servant, and Prophet of the Peak as serviceable bodies that all benefit from either lots of mountains or lots of artifacts involved.
There isn't an Incarnation for Obstinate / Resolute mindsets, so Anger will have to do for Koth, but I think it works out; he certainly isn't overjoyed with the Phyrexian takeover. We also have a very weird but large early threat in Drooling Ogre, who is too stupid to always stay loyal, but thankfullly our high artifact count provides enough trinkets to keep him fighting for our side. Unfortunately with troops like that it's easy to see how the Mirrans are struggling against Phyrexia.
The Mountains matter with several of our spells. Hitting the Adamant thresholds on Henge Walker and Clockwork Servant turn them from "acceptable" to "you love to see it", Oxidda Golems become efficient threats, Spitting Earth becomes a fine removal spell, and Jaws of Stone is a contender for "best card in the deck". Claws of Valakut makes our dinkiest creature suddenly formidable.
Lastly, there's lots of hammers! Aside from our Rares, Colossus Hammer provides an opportunity to make your opponent the anvil and makes use of Koth's ability to help afford the equip cost. Hammerhand removes potential blockers from the mix, Volcanic Hammer operates as serviceable removal, and Hammer of Ruin can nuke any opposing equipment. Although it's not what I would describe as a "good card", Hammerheim seems too perfect to not include in the landbase.
Gadrak is extremely cool. A 5/4 flying creature for 3 seems like an insane set of stats, until you get to the fine print. Gadrak can only attack if we have 4+ artifacts, which might be a drawback in most lists, but here it's basically just Metalcraft, something we're already built to enable. And if we happen to kill creatures - a likely occurrence in a Mono Red deck - Gadrak makes Treasure tokens, which is great for keeping our own metalcraft count high while also giving us new triggers for Embersmith and Serum Tank and mana for equipping Colossus Hammer. Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge is exactly the type of modern day Rare that I look for in new set releases as natural inclusions in this project, and it fits perfectly in this deck.
Koth cares about Mountains and eventually turning them into pingers. So does Akoum Hellkite! It's so hard not to spend one of our Rare slots on a big scary monster, and the Hellkite seemed like it ticked the right boxes.
The original Uro. It's fascinating to compare the two to see what WotC thought a pushed, recurring threat should look like in 1996 and again in 2020. Really gives you a firm idea of how far and in what directions the game has changed over all those years. This art rocks so hard; in my opinion Magic's never looked better than it did in Mirage and Visions. Not that cards look awful now, but back then...dear god (bites fist).
Hammer. Enthusiast.
Historically, Red and White have both gotten the short end of the card drawing stick. In an era where Black and Green have joined Blue in card drawing Nirvana, the other two colors linger behind, and Red usually only gets to draw cards via rummaging effects (aka Much Worse Looting). So when it comes to getting ahead on cards for these colors, looking to artifacts often seems a prudent choice. Serum Tank only looks great if lots of other artifacts are involved, but in a deck like this, that's not an issue. In this build, the Tank will have no problem building up charge counters to keep the cards flowing, and those cards flow at an acceptable rate supporting a color that has trouble sourcing the ability elsewhere. If the game plan involves lots of artifacts (or even lots of charge counters), Serum Tank is a tank indeed.