“Epic Adventures in Fun & Jank: Episode 19 – MTG Arena Unleashed!”

At times, you don’t require an extravagant combo or a complex strategy to succeed — you simply need to utilize the finest cards. Introducing our concoction this week, UR Ring, a deck that doesn’t depend on a particular victory condition or intricate synergies. Instead, it concentrates on sheer strength, playing the highest-caliber cards from the UR color pair to simply overpower the opposition.

It’s Plum here, and I realize…I realize… I realize. This may not appear like Jank… and it isn’t. You often see me engaging with and discussing various ham sandwiches in these pieces — decks that execute intricate combos or defy the norms of the color pie. However, in truth, my primary aim is to motivate and assist individuals in thinking outside conventional boundaries. Occasionally, that entails examining existing frameworks or packages and refining them to develop something innovative. Here, we’re merging two of the most formidable packages in the format — Energy and Chorus — to fully exploit both. Introduce some Rings and the Power 9, and we’re ready to roll!

The Concept

The concept behind UR Ring is straightforward: we’re amalgamating two extraordinarily strong ability packages, Energy and Chorus, to exceed our adversaries through sheer card quality and synergy.

Let’s dissect it.

We commence with the Energy package, which consists of Tune the Narrative, Aether Hub, Aether Spike, and Galvanic Discharge. Aether Hub aids us in mana fixing and generating Energy, while Aether Spike provides economical interaction often comparable to the classic Counterspell. Tune the Narrative powers both Discharge and Aether Spike while keeping our hand replenished, additionally setting up Discharge to inflict 4+ damage for merely 1 mana in the latter stages of the game.

But here’s where it gets intriguing: we merge all that with Ribald Shanty and Hymn to the Ages, two powerful cards from the Chorus set. These cards already see play in the format within both UR Wizards and Jeskai control. Ribald Shanty serves not only as early interaction but also holds the potential to deal significant damage as we accumulate Intensity, making it a remarkably efficient asset in the late game. The fact that it also enhances the Intensity of Hymn as the game progresses renders this two-card “combo” formidable and scalable.

By uniting Energy and Chorus, we create a deck that’s adaptable and effective.

I complemented the remaining cards on this list with solid options. Tamiyo, Ring, Oracle, and Narset are all exceptionally powerful individually, but when paired with effective removal and draw from the aforementioned packages, they become even more formidable.

The One Ring – No need for further explanation here. This card is a titan. It serves as a tremendous card advantage engine, granting you numerous options and the protection required to implement your strategy. Its ability to shield you from everything until your next turn is incredibly versatile, making it beneficial against aggro, control, and combo tactics alike. It provides you the space to stabilize and set up your strategies without the concern of depleting your resources.

Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student – Tamiyo isn’t merely attractive. As a reliable blocker, she assists in keeping aggressive threats under control and generates card advantage by creating Clue tokens that allow you to delve deeper into your deck. In a deck like this, where recursion and value are pivotal to success, her flip is where the true magic unfolds. Once she flips — which, thanks to the synergy with Hymn to the Ages, occurs quite easily — she acquires the ability to recover our Chorus spells, transforming their Intensity into an extraordinary powerhouse. This enables you to heighten the value of your spells, potentially inflicting substantial damage or managing the board seamlessly.

Oracle of the Alpha – The Power Nine uphold their status for a reason — these cards exemplify what it means to wield raw power in Magic. [card name=”Oracle of the Alpha”] fits perfectly into that segment. This card is our principal win condition, allowing us to cycle powerful effects like Time Walks or even Timetwisters to steer the game’s pace. Reaching a point where you can cast multiple Time Walks in a single turn or reshuffle the graveyard with Timetwister (especially with Narset, Parter of Veils in play) frequently indicates the end of the game. This card is pure inevitability, enabling you to wear your opponent down to nothing while preparing yourself for triumph.

Narset, Parter of Veils – Narset is an absolute standout. Not only does she dig deeper into your deck, uncovering the most crucial cards, but she also presents your opponent with another issue to contend with. Her static ability is a strong weapon against decks that depend on drawing multiple cards each turn, particularly effective against other Ring decks that typically leverage card draw to fuel their engines. Her -2 ability pairs beautifully with Timetwister, allowing you to empty your opponent’s hand while refilling yours. This keeps your opponent off balance, trying to navigate how to catch up with your card advantage while you apply consistent pressure and continue to play your most formidable spells.

Together, these cards form a unified package of powerful synergies that enable you to dictate the match, shut out opponents, and ultimately emerge victorious through overwhelming card advantage and recursion.

The Deck

Gameplay

We managed to reach Mythic relatively swiftly (take that statement lightly, as I undeniably possess the MMR of someone who engages in Jank all day and night) competing against a diverse range of decks on the ladder. You can view the video above of my stream and hear my commentary on various plays and matchups as we progress.

Aether Spike serves as one of the unrecognized champions of this deck, particularly when addressing challenging matchups such as combo and colorless ramp decks. These archetypes generally disregard Shanty or Discharge, and the scarcity of chances to cast them means our Energy and Intensity generation is significantly hindered. It becomes considerably tougher to reach that crucial mass of Power 9 cards before the adversary can dominate. In summary, Aether Spike is not merely a luxury; it’s a necessity against some of our most formidable matchups. This is also the reason we utilize a counter-heavy sideboard.

Closing Thoughts

At times, It’s Acceptable Not to Innovate

In Magic: The Gathering, there exists a continuous urge to innovate — to concoct something entirely original, something that hasn’t been encountered previously. And don’t misunderstand me; I wholeheartedly embrace that inventive brewing essence. However, sometimes, it’s just as powerful — if not more so — to pause and enhance what’s already robust.

Not every brew needs to be something wholly distinctive or completely unconventional. In reality, frequently the most potent decks are those that utilize existing cards, bundles, and strategies that are already effective, merely improving them by discovering the right synergies. Regarding UR Ring, we didn’t endeavor to develop something completely unprecedented. Instead, we combined two remarkably potent sets of cards — Energy and Chorus — and integrated them in a manner that hasn’t been extensively pursued before. While these cards have been utilized in decks like Jeskai Control, we’ve melded them in a novel fashion, crafting something that exceeds the mere sum of its components.

By merging powerful cards that already possess established synergy, we’ve devised a deck that doesn’t depend on one singular gameplay strategy or outrageous combos — it’s simply a powerhouse of worth. And that’s a principle I believe every brewer ought to keep in mind: sometimes, the best decks aren’t those that break away from the norm. Occasionally, they are the ones that optimize what is already functional, whether it’s by blending two strong packages or effectively finding the best way to unite them.

It’s easy to become engrossed in the notion that each new deck must be a drastic divergence from traditional designs, but UR Ring demonstrates that, at times, the correct combination of cards is all you need to construct a deck that can outperform the competition.

Thanks for reading.

As always, feel free to share your thoughts and pose any questions you may have below! Be sure to return next week for even more Fun & Jank!

If you’re interested in witnessing these decks in action, join me on stream where we test, refine, and enjoy a ton of fun together!

Happy Brewing!