With Standard famous for having one deck dominate the entire metagame (Dragonstorm, Fae, oh and that "J" deck), many players have been branching out into other formats.  You may have taken a look at the Extended, Vintage or Legacy formats.

Take a look again at Legacy.  With an extensive cardpool starting from the beginning of the game, there is no surprise that the metagame is diversified.  Check out one of my personal favorite decks:  Stax.

Stax is named after the namesake card Smokestack.


When it first comes out, it does nothing.  As you take more turns, you can add soot counters to force each player to sacrifice a card in his or her upkeep.

So how will this benefit you?

Simple, play more permanents than your opponent.  In addition, play more ways to recur your permanents than your opponent.

There are three other nonland cards not counting mana acceleration that should be played in any Stax deck.  When combined, they are able to lock the opponent out of the rest of the game.

• Crucible of Worlds - With this card, a Smokestack at 1 will cause the opponent to lose 1 permanent with you being able to recover a sacrificed land, breaking the symmetry of the card.  In addition, you can use this to recur utility lands such as Wasteland and Ghost Quarter.
• Trinisphere - Considering that most of the spells you'll cast cost more than three, this should not hurt you much.  This will hurt your opponent more when their land starts hitting their graveyard.
• Chalice of the Void - Shuts down problematic spells such as Ancient Grudge and Pithing Needle @ 1 and Life from the Loam, Gaddock Teeg, and Qasali Pridemage @ 2.  Since Stax typically doesn't have much removal, the proactive approach is taken.

As far as how many of copies of each card to run goes, definitely run 4 Trinispheres and 4 Chalices.  This will increase your chances for slowing them down from turn 1.  Crucible of Worlds can be a 3-of, but if your run Wasteland, definitely bump it up to 4 to increase your chances for a Waste-Lock.

Speaking of Wasteland, there are some lands which are seen in every flavor of Stax deck:

• Ancient Tomb - Doing two damage to yourself is nothing compared to the pain this card causes to your opponent.  It functions as a continuous source of two mana each turn.  Just beware of aggro/burn decks.
• City of Traitors - Good news: it makes two mana without pain.  Bad news: it goes to the graveyard when another land comes in.  At least you can recur it with a Crucible.
• Crystal Vein - It will only make 2 mana if you sacrifice it, otherwise it makes 1.  Not as recommended as City or Tomb.
  
• Mox Diamond - This allows for degenerate turn 1 plays.  With it and a doublemana land, you can play turn 1 Trinisphere, a DEVASTATING play against many decks.  With Mox Diamond, you should play 25 lands to support the discard cost.  In addition, you can offset the cost by having an active Crucible.
• Wasteland - Slows down the growth of your opponent should they have a large amount of nonbasics.  In addition, can form a lock with Crucible of Worlds out, destroying each land they play as your bring back Wasteland.
• Mishra's Factory - Manland.  Recurrable with Crucible of Worlds.  Wincon.  Also, functions as an early defender in pinch scenarios.
  

Number-wise, go for 4 Ancient Tombs, 4 City of Traitors, and 4 Mox Diamonds.  Again, this is to make an early lock more likely.  Wasteland is a 3 to 4 card depending on your colored casting cost.  Same deal with Crystal Vein--if your spells have double colored mana, use basic lands instead.  Mishra's Factory is definitely an optional card, but if you're lacking a wincon, use it.

And now comes the fun part:  adding color to the Stax deck.  Each color adds beneficial cards and combos to the deck.  Here are some cards from each color that fit into the Stax shell:

• Mindlock Orb / Ghost Quarter - On its own, Mindlock Orb will halt searching such as fetchlands, Survival of the Fittest, and any tutors.  Ghost Quarter turns into a Strip Mine when paired with the Orb.  Also, key tip--you can Ghost Quarter your own lands should you need a colored mana or can bring back lands with Crucible.
  
• Glen Elendra Archmage - You've seen it in Fae, now see it stop noncreature spells in Legacy.  A great way to protect your property and has persist for both blocking and sacrificing needs.  Drop it when you have mana to support its ability unless your opponent won't be playing spells anytime soon.
  
• Jace, the Mind Sculptor - Yes, it's a Worldwake card.  If you know what it does, good.  Just know that its ability gives Stax a great way to dig through its deck to improve consistency.
  

• Exploration - Great with Wasteland/Crucible out.  Allows you to play more lands per turn, both accelerating and allowing you to turn the soot up with Smokestack.
  
• Sylvan Library / Words of Wilding - On its own, Sylvan Library will improve your consistency with Stax.  When paired with Words of Wilding, the combo provides tokens for sacrificing, blocking, and attacking.  Again, more permanents per turn translates to a higher soot count on Smokestack.
  
• Kitchen Finks - Gains life, blocks, and persists.
  

• Arc-Slogger - Creature beats, decent wall, removes creatures, and can deal the last few points of damage.
• Goblin Assault - Provides a token to sac for a hungry Stax.  Also serves as a win-con, providing an army of 1/1 kamikaze goblins.
  
• Simian Spirit Guide - Increases the chances for a Turn 1 Trinisphere.  Also serves as a creature in a clutch situation.
  

• Braids, Cabal Minion - Serves as a premade, 1 counter Stax.  Beater, redundant Smokestack, and sexy mascot.
  
• Colfenor's Plans - A draw-7 that can be sacrificed to Smokestack.  Be careful when playing this card as this may end up hurting you in the end.
• Leyline of the Void / Helm of Obedience - Leyline helps stop any recursive tricks your opponent may pull and sucks up the opponent's library when paired with Helm of Obedience.
  

• Armageddon/Ravages of War - Puts both players in a landless situation, keeping the opponent in check with Trinisphere.  Fortunately, you can use both Flagstones of Trokair and Crucible of Worlds to recover quicker.
  
• Ghostly Prison - White kin of Propaganda, Prison halts the assault of incoming attackers when paired with the land consumption of Stax.
  
• Magus of the Tabernacle - This fat-butt creature blocks creatures all day and taxes creatures, providing board control while you set up.  Just make sure to PAY FOR YOUR MAGUS. 

With Stax having so many viable cards from different colors not limited to those listed, you would wonder what color the best version would be.  For all you happy netdeckers, take a look at Angel Stax, a white version of the Stax deck:  Angel Stax

How does one win?  Some win-cons depends on the color, but here's a short general list:

• Concession by the opponent
• Factory beats
• Creature beats
  

That being said, Stax is not a deck for everyone.  Here's the whys and why nots as to why you should play Stax:
GOOD:

• Potential to lock your opponent out of the game early on.
• Versatile deck contents

BAD:

• High risk, high reward plays -- but should those high risk plays bomb...
• Requires extensive foresight, like when to mulligan, when to play a lock piece, etc.
• Will likely get scowls from other players

 And finally, a sample decklist.  Note that it has changed since the original incarnation (which you can find here: Original U FaerieStax
___________
Lands
    4 [EX] City of Traitors
    4 [TE] Ancient Tomb
    2 [DIS] Ghost Quarter
    12 [CS] Snow-Covered Island
    3 [TE] Wasteland

// Creatures
    3 [EVE] Glen Elendra Archmage
    2 [LRW] Sower of Temptation

// Spells
    4 [TE] Propaganda
    4 [SH] Mox Diamond
    3 [M10] Jace Beleren
    3 [ALA] Mindlock Orb
    4 [US] Smokestack
    4 [DS] Trinisphere
    4 [10E] Crucible of Worlds
    4 [MR] Chalice of the Void

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [LRW] Sower of Temptation
SB: 4 [6E] Chill
____________
SB is still in progress.  And as time progresses, I'm planning on replacing the Jace Belerens with the new Jaces; card selection is better in this deck than card draw.

Questions?  Queries?  Comments?  Leave them here, I'd like to hear what you think.

Till next time,
Magic the Gathering Player
ShadowSketched
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