Machine Head

Deck by Freespace

If someone tells you they are playing Machine Head it could actually mean a couple of things as the deck archetype isn't set in stone, but one thing is certain and that is that it involves Juzam Djinns.

As there is no clear definition of Machine Head it is a little bit hard to write about but it usually involves big creatures like Erhnam Djinn and Juzam Djinn combined with Birds of Paradise to ramp into them. Other cards you usually see in this archetype are Dark Ritual and Elves of Deep Shadow for even more ramp.

It's also not unusual to splash a third color or maybe even two. First of all, you can splash red for Lightning Bolts and Sedge Trolls, or you can splash white to top the curve with Serra Angels and have access to white's amazing removal. Of course you can also splash blue for power, but that's about it.

Last but not least, on card you can play if you really want to hit the opponent hard is Berserk, some decks even play a complete playset.

The Abyss

Deck by Sehl

The Abyss is one of the most powerful cards from Legends and it is the bane of most creature decks in the format. But here's the thing, The Abyss has a small "loop hole" and that is what this deck is built around. Usually you only put The Abyss in a deck completely without creatures, but this deck does the exact opposite and plays a whole bunch of creatures.

The Abyss’ ”loop hole” is that it actually doesn't kill all creatures, instead it leaves artifact creatures alone. Therefore, this deck plays 2 - 4 The Abyss to kill all of the opponent's creatures, and then it utilizes Su-Chi, Juggernaut and other artifact creatures that don’t care about The Abyss to smash the opponent's face.

That is the foundation of this deck and what other cards to fill the deck whit is completely up to you. A couple of examples are Sinkholes, Underworld Dreams, blue splash for power or maybe a red splash for Lightning Bolts and other burn spell.

Green Ramp

Deck by Mg

Are you all about playing big monsters? Then this is the deck for you. The green ramp deck is one of those archetypes that has been around for as long as Magic has existed, and the deck still exists today. The plan is the same as with all ramp decks, develop your mana faster than the opponent and then cast expensive threats that are more powerful than your opponent’s cards.

In the early days of Magic it the deck used Llanowar Elves, Gaea's Touch, Birds of Paradise and Wild Growth for mana ramp and the threats consisted of classics like Force of Nature, Craw Wurm, Erhnam Djinn, Killer Bees, Ifh-Biff Efreet, and Triskelion. The card engine of choice for the deck is often Sylvan Library but some builds use the Relic Barrier and Howling Mine combo for card advantage.

As with all ramp decks the biggest problem with the deck is that you need to draw a good combination of threats and ramp, but if you do you can win against any deck.

Troll Disco

Deck by Troll Disco

The Troll part in the name stands for the powerful Sedge Troll, and Disco stands for the disk with tentacles, Nevinyrral's Disk. The decks game plan is to use the disk to blow up the world, except for your trusty trolls that is. The Trolls instead regenerate to fight another day and continues to beat your opponent senseless while all of his or her stuff has been blown to pieces.

That is the core of this deck, but other than that you can build it quite differently using either classic beaters like Hypnotic Specter or go all in on regenerating creatures like Uthden Troll and Clay Statue. If you want you can also splash blue for more control elements if you don't think the disk is enough.

UW Skies

Deck by Seb Celia

At first glance UW Skies looks a lot like The Deck but there is one big difference and that is that UW Skies usually plays up to four Serra Angel and four Serendib Efreet. What to cut for those eight cards is of course the hard part and the easiest solution is to skip splashing for all the restricted cards. It's also not unusual to cut a couple of books and other slower control cards.

Apart from that change UW Skies plays the same control package as The Deck, which means playsets of Counterspell, Swords to Plowshares and Disenchant. Because of that, UW Skies is quite the formidable control deck but as it also plays a bunch of big monsters it can quickly change pace and go on the offensive quite well.

Deadguy Ale

Deck by Andreas Rosén

Deadguy Ale is probably the most famous midrange deck in the format and also one of the most resilient. The power of the deck comes from combining great and diverse threats with a plethora of removal for whatever the opponent does. The aggressive part of the deck consists of threats like Juzam Djinn, Hypnotic Specter and Underworld Dreams, often combines with Dark Ritual to deploy them as fast as possible.

The threats are backed up by some of the most efficient removal in the format in the form of Disenchant and Swords to Plowshares. It's also not unusual for the deck to play Sinkholes to attack the opponent on one more angle and sometimes you can see lists splashing red which gives it access to Lightning Bolt for more removal and Red Elemental Blast for better game against blue decks.

Mono Black

Deck by Erland

A deck that is more evil than this is hard to get. If you meet a player that has been playing since the early days, chances are the mono black deck is the deck they have the most vivid memory of. This deck plays all of the good black creatures paired with format power house Underworld Dreams to attack the enemy on two angles.

One card the mono black player seldom leave home without is the black boon, Dark Ritual, a card which allows for classic plays like a turn one Hypnotic Specter or turn two Juzam Djinn. Budget versions of this deck usually trades the crazy expensive Juzams for Su-Chi which also allows them to play City in a Bottle in the sideboard. Another card worth mentioning is Sinkhole, a card that sometimes can win games by itself.

Erhnamgeddon

Deck by Danhor

Erhnamgeddon has been around since back in the days and the game plan goes something like this: start by developing your mana base with Fellwar Stones, Moxen and Birds of Paradise, play a big creature like Erhnam Djinn or Serra Angel and then blow up the world! Or more correctly blow up all the lands with an Armageddon so the opponent will have a hard time answering your threat.

Meanwhile the Moxen, Fellwar Stones and Birds of Paradise keeps you able to continue playing the game even after the Armageddon. You can also add blue for power and some control elements, then the deck sometimes is called Bantamgeddon.