Metalwork Colossus has been one of the cards players have been trying to work around since the format's early weeks. With Streets of New Capenna, the archetype gained more traction thanks to Brass Knuckles, which significantly reduces the mana value of the archetype's flagship card.
Years later, Leyline Axe provided another free artifact that reduces the card's cost, and Simulacrum Synthesizer offered an alternative game plan for an archetype that naturally wants artifacts with higher mana values.
In this article, we delve into the current version of Metalwork Colossus, with a guide to the key matchups in the current Metagame!
The Decklist
This is the same deck used by player RandyWoodson to win the Pioneer Challenge on June 8th. No changes were made to the list because Randy plays this deck extensively, and although some cards seem to be missing for more specific matchups, the main archetypes of the current Metagame are well-listed in the amount of answers.
As the name suggests, this deck revolves around Metalwork Colossus and its interaction with high-mana-value artifacts that considerably reduce its cost: Leyline Axe, which can come into play for free on the first turn, and Brass Knuckles, which creates a copy of itself when it enters—both of these together would be enough to cast Colossus for free, but we have several other artifacts to help with this game plan.
Once Colossus is on the board, we want to perform a combo-kill: equip it with one of the above cards and attack with Double Strike for 20 damage. Since the opponent will likely have blockers, we have Wedding Invitation to get them out of the way. If your opponent has removal, simply sacrifice some artifacts and return Colossus to your hand, repeating the process the following turn.
Since we can't rely solely on this line to win, we also have Simulacrum Synthesizer, which interacts with Brass Knuckles, and the tokens take advantage of the large number of artifacts—there are points where, if equipped with Leyline Axe, these tokens are just as capable of dealing lethal damage as the Colossus itself.
Maindeck
The "combo."
Brass Knuckles creates a copy when it comes into play, and when both are equipped, the creature gains Double Strike. It was the main enabler of this deck, as, with a single card, we reduce Metalwork Colossus's mana value by eight.
Leyline Axe is the worst topdeck you can have, but the best card for the starting hand. Besides reducing Colossus's mana value by four, it also offers Trample and Double Strike, proving lethal with the key card and Simulacrum Synthesizer tokens.
Metalwork Colossus is your classic "hard-to-kill threat with absurd mana value" We often play it for free starting on turn four, or pay very cheap to have a 10/10 on the board on turn three, where we then want to equip it and go for the lethal attack—if it dies, just sacrifice two artifacts and repeat the loop.
Sanctum of Ugin isn't exactly part of the combo, but if it's in play when we cast Colossus, we can sacrifice it to get a second copy from the deck and likely cast it that same turn, ensuring 20 power on the board split between two creatures.
Simulacrum Synthesizer is our alternative win condition. In total, we have 19 artifacts with a mana value of three or higher to trigger it, and they stack in multiple copies. Remember that Brass Knuckles creates two tokens with a single card and that Leyline Axe can be especially lethal with enough creatures on the board.
Ingenious Smith is the best cheap tool we have for chasing artifacts at the top, and it works as a complementary threat if it stays on the board for a long time, but it's not usually a consistent win condition.
Wedding Invitation clears the way for Colossus or even Synthesizer tokens to deal lethal damage in combat, in addition to reducing the mana value of our main creature by 
and replenishing itself in its owner's hand.
Moonsnare Prototype Ramps from one mana to three on the second turn if we have Leyline Axe in play. In subsequent turns, it's the equivalent of a Sol Ring for Metalwork Colossus, while its Channel ability offers more board interaction.
Fabrication Foundry virtually adds three mana to Colossus and speeds up Brass Knuckles to the third turn. Its ability to reanimate artifacts is crucial in some longer games, especially if our win condition is more geared toward Simulacrum Synthesizer—it also interacts well with Repurposing Bay in the sideboard.
Portable Hole is still one of the most effective removals in the current Metagame: it takes care of most Red Aggro creatures, Prowess, Cori-Steel Cutter and Artist's Talent in Izzet Phoenix, and Witch's Oven when necessary.
Perilous Snare takes care of larger permanents while triggering Simulacrum Synthesizer. It's rare that we trigger Max Speed, but it's a nice boost.
Despite having a mostly artifact-based deck, our color requirements are high, and therefore, we need to compromise on being vulnerable to Sunspine Lynx. Fourteen 
dual lands offer enough consistency to easily access colored mana and still make room for some utility lands.
Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire and Otawara, Soaring City are common staples in Pioneer's mana base and offer more board interaction without sacrificing more slots.
Inventors' Fair grants a small but recurring life gain each turn, which builds up as we hold off Aggro's beatdown. Furthermore, we can use it in games to target specific artifacts, like an answer from the Sideboard or a win condition.
Sideboard
Glass Casket deals with small creatures that fall outside the scope of Portable Hole, such as Screaming Nemesis, Mayhem Devil, Bonecrusher Giant, and others. It works against both Aggro and Midrange decks.
Knockout Blow is a specific answer to Red Aggro and offers a way to deal with most of them for cheap and offering some extra breath.
Containment Priest deals with Arclight Phoenix and Cauldron Familiar at instant speed and is also a counter to Collected Company and Kayla's Reconstruction against Angels.
Unlicensed Hearse deals with graveyard-based decks, which include, in addition to Izzet Phoenix and Jund Food, the Greasefang, Okiba Boss lists.
Torpor Orb deals with troublesome ETBs like Sunspine Lynx and permanently blocks the ability of Selesnya Angels and Spirits to gain life and/or interact with the board.
Repurposing Bay enters the longer, more attrition-oriented games, where we need to overcome Counterspells or focus on the Simulacrum Synthesizer plan. In this case, the focus of the list shifts and revolves around extracting value from Bay's interactions with Fabrication Foundry.
Sideboard Guide
Mono Red Lynx
IN
OUT
Izzet Phoenix
IN
OUT
Mono Black Midrange
IN
OUT
Selesnya Angels
IN
OUT
Lotus Combo
IN
OUT
Conclusion
That's all for today!
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!
Thanks for reading!
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