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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Thank you for these history series...

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

What about pauper affinity?

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

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

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.

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

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.

I adore this series

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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 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

Thanks affinity is finally here ( :

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.

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 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!

"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

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

Love Nizzahon's narration.

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

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

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 😂😂😂

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

You should’ve mentioned affinity in pauper!

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.

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

Oh shit new deck history just dropped

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

Bait and bludgeon was my first ever MTG deck

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

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."

Stea of the Synod

Always quality content, thanks for your work.

my first deck was affinity good memory

Actually , pauper aff is rock and very good deck

I love steel overseer

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

I remember affinity before darksteel BROODSTAR!

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

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

Anyone notice Stea of the Synod in the first decklist?

The 100dls True affinity is a freaking buldozer XD

Because of you hat BOOMER SOONER! LETS GO OU

i used to have an affinity deck

rip opal

between this and storm, best mechanics in the game

is ravager shops the vintage affinity variant?

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 ^_^

What about pauper

Why did this video leave out pre ravager affinity?

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?

Didn't Affinity basically morph into Tron?

affinity died for urza's sins.

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

"Stea of the Synod"?

Everything changed when MH2 attacked.

Love the hat, boomer sooner!

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

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

Is prowess a competitive deck?

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

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

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.

Nice cap

Algorithm

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

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.

first?

Stea of the Synod