Explorer: Izzet Ensoul - Deck Tech & Sideboard Guide

If you are looking for an aggressive strategy with a lot of synergy in Explorer, but aren't confident with the results of Boros Convoke, Izzet Ensoul could be the deck for you.

Present in the format since its origin and on the rise since the release of Spyglass Siren in Lost Caverns of Ixalan, the artifact-based deck gained new support in Murders at Karlov Manor with Gleaming Geardrake, which increased its consistency and helps fill gaps in the archetype in the format, such as the absence of Reckless Bushwhacker.

In this article, I present the latest version of this archetype and the adaptations made to make it a viable and functional strategy in Explorer!

Izzet Ensoul is an artifact-based archetype who plays around the possibility of enchanting them with Ensoul Artifact to transform them into cheap threats. This strategy has existed since Pioneer's conception with Darksteel Citadel.

In recent years, Ensoul's lists have become more focused on variants due to the interaction of All That Glitters and Michiko’s Reign of Truth with its strategy. However, with the ban on Lurrus of the Dream-Den and the absence of support to justify its use, this variant was replaced by , which adapted to the Metagame.

The main reason was the insertion of one-drops that put artifacts into play in these colors, in addition to the unbanning of Smuggler’s Copter and its notorious interaction with Inti, Seneschal of the Sun. Along with the reach provided by Shrapnel Blast, this combination of cards made this variant one of the most consistent Aggro decks in Pioneer and Explorer today.

This is the list I have been using in Magic Arena ranked matches.

We can consider it a mixture of the two best-known variants of Izzet Ensoul in Pioneer. Unlike the best-known versions, we cannot take advantage of the combination of Gleeful Demolition and Reckless Bushwhacker to bet on a “go-wide” proposal, so we doubled our focus on making the “go tall” with Ensoul Artifact and Zoetic Glyph, along with Gleaming Geardrake.

This version also seeks to take more advantage of Inti, Seneschal of the Sun as a source of card advantage through the already known Smuggler's Copter, in addition to inserting Hazoret the Fervent into the maindeck to increase our clock and as a difficult to answer threat.

Maindeck

Our enablers. Izzet Ensoul wouldn't have its current position in the format if it weren't for them.

Spyglass Siren and Voldaren Epicure are cheap ways to have artifacts in play, and their value is enhanced when we include Gleaming Geardrake, as we can sacrifice tokens to increase their power.

Voldaren Epicure also interacts with Inti, Seneschal of the Sun to generate some value from its tokens when we are in topdeck mode, which is very common for this archetype.

Our payoffs.

Ensoul Artifact is the card that made this archetype possible, being especially lethal alongside an indestructible artifact like Darksteel Citadel, or a creature with evasion, like Gleaming Geardrake.

Zoetic Glyph offers almost the same pressure as Ensoul Artifact, and its extra mana is offset by its discover ability, which makes it replace itself on the battlefield, or in its controller's hand, if an enchanted creature is destroyed.

I've been considering testing Case of the Filched Falcon instead, but the speed at which we can use the new enchantment makes it easy to play around.

Our interaction.

Izzet Ensoul empties the hand quickly if you sequence your plays correctly. Therefore, having a means of filtering the top is our best way to maintain gas in the game, and Torch the Tower offers a removal that, in addition to filtering the next draw, also interacts with Gleaming Geardrake.

There are rare times when we feel compelled to use Shrapnel Blast as a removal. Generally, it operates as a Goblin Grenade for artifacts, which deals the last few points of damage needed to win and/or establish even more pressure alongside a Gleaming Geardrake enchanted with Ensoul Artifact.

Our card advantage package.

The interaction between Inti, Seneschal of the Sun and Smuggler’s Copter is already well known in Pioneer and in Explorer. In addition to offering value, the best two-mana drop that red has received in years also guarantees evasion for the artifact enchanted with Ensoul Artifact, or even for Hazoret the Fervent

Speaking of Hazoret, the Amonkhet goddess often appears in the Sideboard of Ensoul lists, but seems very maindeck-worthy when we consider the popularity of some archetypes in Explorer today, and her notorious interaction with Inti, making her one of the best standalone threats this archetype can have.

Our mana seeks to use as many lands that come into play untapped as possible, including a set of Shivan Reef to ensure our color consistency.

In addition to them, Den of the Bugbear works as a complementary threat in longer games, and Darksteel Citadel is excellent for adding redundancy to the number of artifacts for Shrapnel Blast, in addition to being the best possible target for Ensoul Artifact in games with plenty of removals.

Sideboard

Like many other decks in the format, Izzet Ensoul doesn't run any cards that restrict the use of Jegantha as a Companion. Therefore, there is no reason not to have it.

For some reason, archetypes like Abzan Amalia and Selesnya Angels are seemingly very popular in Magic Arena ranked, and Ensoul certainly can't hold its own against an absurd life gain every turn. Therefore, a Rampaging Ferocidon playset seemed like a necessity in this Metagame.

I believe that Izzet Ensoul is the best Spell Pierce deck for Explorer today, as it can mix it with an efficient clock and requires low mana costs to protect its threats.

Some prefer Stubborn Denial in this space, but the games where I want Spell Pierce are those where I typically can't count on having a large creature in play and/or where drawing too many copies of enchantments becomes a dead draw.

Therefore, I prefer to rely on the slightly smaller but unconditional scope of Spell Pierce, as well as an extra copy of Negate for longer games.

Rending Volley is an extra answer against troublesome white or blue creatures. Today, the main targets include Thing in the Ice and Ledger Shredder, both of which greatly disrupt our clock.

Unlicensed Hearse is our standard answer against any archetype that uses the graveyard in any way, as well as being another artifact that we can have for our interactions.

I pulled Case of the Crimson Pulse in a draft, and it gave me such an advantage that I decided to test it on Izzet Ensoul in the space where Hazoret the Fervent used to be, and it didn't disappoint at any point.

After all, this is a deck that empties its hand quickly, and having the means to draw more than one card per turn and without spending resources is precisely what we need for attrition games.

Abzan Amalia

IN

OUT

Izzet Phoenix

IN

OUT

Rakdos Midrange

IN

OUT

Azorius Control

IN

OUT

Boros Convoke

IN

OUT

That's all for today.

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment!

Thanks for reading!