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Even after the Great War reduced the United States of America to a nuclear wasteland, mankind never returned to the Dark Ages. Much was lost, of course, but the march of progress continued as new generations of scientists struggled to heal the ravaged wasteland… while others worked dilligently to build even more effective weapons of war. These scientists, and their projects, are the theme ofMagic: The Gathering’s Science! commander deck.
Just like the scientists in the Fallout franchise mix ancient technology with new innovations, the Science! deck combines new cards with old mechanics that reward you for taking the time to stockpile resources and trust technology to thrive in the in the wasteland and at the game table.
Behemoth of Vault 0
One with the Machine
Treasure Vault
Science! Commander Deck Themes
The primary theme of the Science! deck is artifacts.This deck wants to stockpile artifacts and then reward you for your growing collection of advanced technology. With several ways to play artifacts from your graveyard and return them from your hand, plus ways to copy them and the return of Fortifications after a 17-year hiatus, you’ll have no problem winning the artifact arms race.
The secondary theme isenergy counters, last seen in 2017’s Aether Revolt. There are several new ways to create and spend energy counters, andthe commander, Dr. Madison Li, provides support for both themesby generating energy every time an artifact enters the battlefield under your control.
The deck contains two potential commanders, butDr. Madison Li is the only one that supports both the artifact and energy themes. The only other potential commander,Liberty Prime, Recharged, requires energy to both attack and block, andcan only generate energy by sacrificing your other artifacts.
While this is useful in a pinch, in an artifacts matter deck you’ll get much more value out of Dr. Madison Li’s passive energy generation than from Liberty Prime, Recharged’s parasitic version.
Science! Commander Deck Analysis
The Science! deck focuses heavily on artifacts, and does an excellent job of making use of them.With an astounding ten mana rocksand two creatures which can generate mana as well,you’ll rarely struggle with manaunless you can’t draw lands for the first several turns. It also features both active and passive energy generation, includingHELIOS One, the first land that can be tapped for energy. And it contains asolid collection of offensive, defensive, and utility creaturesfor almost any situation.
Perhaps representing the scientists' hesitance to fall back on the same weapons that were used in the Great War, the Science! deck is sorely lacking in mass removal, containing only Austere Command as a mass removal option. While it does contain several spot removal options, such asSwords to PlowsharesandCrush Contraband, the deck is likely to be overrun by fast, creature-heavy decks.
The best way to upgrade most preconstructed decks is to narrow the focus to a single theme, and Science! is no exception. The deck as it arrives is split between artifacts and energy, with some overlap.
“Artifacts matter” is a particularly strong archetype, with commanders like Urza, Lord High Artificer at the hounds, but no effective energy commanders exist outside the Science! deck. In order to keep the deck unique, focus on the energy theme and narrow the artifact theme.
Red Death, Shipwrecker
C.A.M.P.
Both Bobbleheads, theOverflowing Chalice, andThought Vesselare solid cards, but there are better mana rocks available, especially in the three-mana range.Path of Ancestryis similarly a good card, but with less than a third of the creatures sharing a type with the commander, it won’t have much use except as a mana fixer, but entering the battlefield tapped slows it down.
Wayfarer’s BaubleandTerramorphic Expanse, andEvolving Wildsall function to thin the deck and fetch the basic land you need for whatever color you’re short on, but they’re redundant enough and there are enough other mana options that you can safely cut two, leaving one of the lands in place and replacing the other. One can be directly upgraded, andUnexpected Windfallcan similarly be replaced with a direct upgrade.
Nick Valentine, Private Eye,Expert-Level Safe, andCurie, Emergent Intelligenceare all decent draw cards, but tend to be clunky and can easily be replaced with better draw options.Overencumberedis thematic to the Fallout setting, but there are multiple recent archetypes that focus on the tokens it provides to your opponent, making it potentially more helpful to your opponent than to you.
Red Death, Shipwreckerdoesn’t fit the theme of the deck except as a mana producer, and can easily be replaced with an artifact creature with the same basic function which also interacts with your artifact theme.Brotherhood Vertibirdcan also be replaced as you scale down the artifact theme.
C.A.M.P.is an interesting card, but it takes six mana to play and equip, and the junk tokens become less useful as you focus more on energy.
Science! Commander Deck Budget Upgrades
This deck wants to spread itself thin between two themes, but by trimming the fat and doubling-down on the energy theme, it can get a little power boost and feel more unique at the same time. Since it already has several excellent ways to spend energy, we’ll largelyfocus on generating additional energy. Fortunately, these cards are available to even the most budget-conscious player!
Reason
Lightning Runner
Energy production every time it attacks, and an excellent energy sink to gain extra attack phases. If equipped with a Plasma Caster, this card will earn extra attacks every other turn.
Aethersquall Ancient
This deck contains a lot of triggered and activated energy production, but Aethersquall Ancientadds passive energy production during your upkeep. More importantly,it adds a reusable asymmetric boardwipe, something this deck is sorely lacking.
Decoction Module
You’ll be playing a lot of creatures, so this allows you toget extra energy whenever you play a creature or create a creature token. Even better,it adds a layer of protection to your creaturesby allowing you to return them to your hand and play them again later.
Deadlock Trap
While this can’t counter activated abilities, it can block them on creatures and planeswalkersif you get the timing right. It can also prevent major threats from attacking or remove a blocker from the equation.
Consulate Turret
It’s like a mana rock, but for energy. Aside from HELIOS One, this is the only card that can be tapped to generate an energy counter.
Aether Hub
It generates mana when it enters the battlefield, comes into play untapped, andcan generate any color manain a pinch. You’ll use it for colorless mana most of the time, so usually it will be a net energy gain.
Counterspell
The deck is a little low on interaction, and having the option to counter your opponent’s bit play is always a good idea.
Inspiring Statuary
Most of your artifacts function regardless of whether or not they’re tapped, so includingInspiring Sanctuary turns almost every artifact into a mana rock.
Manascape Refractor
This gives you access toa second copy of all of your lands' activated abilities, as well as those of all of your opponents.Usually, this will be a versatile mana rock, but with the right lands in play, it can generate energy, search for other lands, and even create treasure tokens.
Rise and Shine
A quarter of the deck is noncreature artifacts, and there are plenty of ways to generate artifact tokens. This can turn your artifacts into an army. Better yet, with Inspiring Statuary, you can improvise the overload cost!
Crawlspace
Replacing Overburdened with Crawlspace means thatall of your opponents are discouraged from attacking you, instead of feeding resources to one and only discouraging that opponent. Plus it’s another artifact.
Escape Tunnel
This is a direct upgrade to Terramorphic Expanse and Evolving Wilds, with the added option to make Rex, Cyber-Hound or another low-attack creature unblockable for a turn.
Big Score
This functions identically to Unexpected Windfall, but is easier to cast because it requires less specific colored mana.
Jeskai Ascendancy
With lots of inexpensive noncreature spells,this can buff your creatures pretty quickly. If you include mana-producing creatures to pay for those spells, or use Inspiring Statuary with artifact creatures to improvise them, you can get a lot of value out of this.
Emry, Lurker of the Loch
You already have artifact recursion, butEmry, Lurker of the Loch is a little more reliable than Arcade Gannon, and significantly cheaper.
Welding Jar
Regenerate the artifact or artifact creaturesthat you want to keep, and thenreplay for free from your graveyardwith either Arcade Gannon or Emry, Lurker of the Loch.
Jeskai Ascendancy,Emry, Lurker of the Loch, and anyzero-mana artifact that sacrifices itselfform an infinite combo that can buff your creatures for the final swing.This can happen as early as turn twowith a Sol Ring and Arcane Signet on turn one, or can be used for unlimited energy with Dr. Madison Li in play.
