Greetings esteemed tourists and guests, and welcome to my lovely summertime estate: Clockwork Manor! In here, time is the substance of life, and every clock comes with its own life story (and believe me, there are plenty of stories to be told). I have brought you here to join me as we explore one of the most archaic and mystical places in Clockwork Manor. The place I speak of is the Gallery of Time. The gallery contains clocks of all varieties and shapes, but unfortunately they are all broken. The Gallery of Time is a place where old clocks are stored for display, but not use. So what may we be doing in a place such as this, you may ask? Why, we're going to fix clocks of course!

…All right, now that all the idiotic guests have fled, I can let you all in on the true secret to the Gallery of Time. You didn't think I would really have you do something as menial as fix mere clocks did you? By the way, don't worry about the ones that left; I didn't like them that much anyway. That'll be our little secret. Anyway, the secret of the Gallery of time is that there are no real clocks in there. No, what really are in there are the things that we all love and cherish most. That's right people; inside the Gallery of Time are countless decks of Magic: the Gathering!

Now before you begin accusing me of gratuitous lying, please hear me out. There may not be any actual clocks, but each deck is a clock in its own right, gears and all. In fact, each deck has three kinds of clocks associated with them. We will mainly focus on the first one, as the other two are more prone to those of the Spike clan (there's nothing wrong with Spikes, so you all in the back can calm down now).

The first clock is known as the "racing clock". This clock measures how long it takes a specific deck to win. For example, say I have a particularly nasty Green Beatdown deck that I've been using. In a solitaire game, or game with no opponent, this deck can on average win on turn five. This means the deck has a five-turn clock. Furthermore, a deck's clock can be shifted once facing an actual opponent. One of my friends is running a Mono Black Aggro deck. Because we are both racing to get the other to zero, we rarely stop to thwart the other player's tactics. As such, my clock still remains five, because if I win, I win the same way I would in a solitaire game anyway. Another friend has a Blue/White Control deck that severely slows me down. In this game, I often take twice as long to win. As such, my clock has shifted from a five-turn clock to a ten-turn clock. This definition of the word is often replaced with a new definition: how fast a single, unstopped source can kill an opponent. For instance, say I have a 5/5 creature out and my opponent has none. If he were still at twenty, it would take me four turns to kill him. In the meantime, my opponent has four turns to stop my creature or delay it. This is known as putting someone on a four-turn clock. Nowadays this version of clock is called "The Clock".

The second clock is the "rotating clock". It measures the length of time a deck is legal in a specific format. Every time a new block shows up, and old block has to be bumped back for formats such as extended and standard. As such, old cards you once used may be replaced, and then you're stuck with a half-built deck. If my Green deck is a year old, and in a year too many cards will rotate out for me to fix it, then it's on a year-clock and has a two-year clock.

Lastly, the third clock is the "stop clock". This clock measures how long a popular deck retains tier 1 viability, or remains in Top 8s. Say I was somehow lucky enough to actually attend a Pro-Tour and make a Top 8. Besides my getting new attention, my deck would get a spark in popularity. Perhaps it was just the thing to take out the current deck to beat. Soon, the decklist would be copied and modified, and then it and its variations would be used to make multiple Top 8s. About four months later, if an Aggro-Hate deck appears that knocks it out of viability and, as a result, out of Top 8s, this means it had a four month-clock.

All of these clocks combined together form the idea aspect of a deck. However, a deck can't run without the actual cards. In this respect, a clock cannot run without gears, cogs, and a wind-up key. In terms of a deck, cogs are the cards a deck functions with, gears are the lands and resources used to make the deck move, and the wind-up key is the single card, combination, or strategy the deck is created upon. The wind-up key is also the blueprint on how the deck is to be played. Without each of these, a deck cannot run. Without gears, cogs cannot move; without cogs, the clock can't work; and without the wind-up key, a clock can't start up. This also means a deck can't win with no lands to play their spells with, no spells to win with, or a strategy to go by when playing the deck. There are a few exceptions (such as All-Land Beat decks), but they are few and far between and have their own system to go by. We'll deal with them when we get to them.

If a piece of the deck is broken, such as through bannings, block rotations, and the occasional format shift (trying to take a deck built for one format, like Extended, and making it Standard legal), the clock can't work until the pieces are fixed. Thanks to Time Spiral block, many of our old favorite cards have been brought back or color-shifted. Still, many gears and cogs remain broken, and as a result, the deck can't be played. Today, we are here, as I said before, to fix these clocks with new parts. This means taking out the old cards in place of new cards. In order to keep this simple and Friday Night Magic (FNM)-friendly, we are going to stick to keeping all the fixed decks in Standard, even if that was not what they were originally intended for. As we continue our work, we may even make Standard versions of clocks that still work, just because I like you people.

A quick warning before we begin. My job is to create a new deck that resembles the old deck mostly from a flavor perspective, not for high efficiency. I promise to make these decks competent for FNM and other less extreme formats. Just don't go to states with it, OK?

Since I spent so much time talking, I'll have to keep this review short. Today, ladies and gentleman, we will be reviewing the deck that invented "The Clock" itself: Sligh! An ideal place to begin our tour, no? I'll be doing this repair and the next few repairs solo, but don't panic. I'm doing these alone because I simply want to prepare you when it comes time. How can I expect you to help me if you don't even know what I'm asking of you? That would be just inhumane. Don't worry, I said I needed your help, and it won't be long before I do. For now, just relax, and enjoy the spectacle.

First, we are going to break this deck down into its parts and look at each in detail, along with a brief overview of the deck. Here's the decklist that the deck's namesake Paul Sligh used:

Now, it's time to break this sucker down. I'll go into a list of a few of the important cards and what will be replacing them. After that, we'll see what the new deck looks like.

Wind-Up Key: Sligh is considered to be the first deck to use the mana curve. With fourteen one-drops and two-drops apiece, the deck could easily play cards every turn. The goal of the deck is to always use all the mana you have, and it accomplishes this perfectly. Upon testing, this deck has roughly a four-turn clock. What took many by surprise was the fact that on paper the deck looked like a ragtag conglomeration of cards that somehow worked together. I mean look, the deck is one card over regular, and Goblins of the Flarg dies to a twelfth of your own deck!

? ?

Though the individual cards looked sloppy and second-rate, together, combined with the math of the curve, they created an amazing deck, and one of the first leaps into true deck building.

Gears:

Strip Mine- This card is one of those lands that are more like a spell. Though it can be tapped for mana, it is mainly used to get rid of troublesome lands with abilities that your opponent may have. A staple of any deck that had the flexibility to play it, this was one of the major ways Sligh kept ahead of its opponents. Note: this was before restrictions on the card were made, and as such this deck is a lot more powerful than it would be a few months later. This will be replaced with its Ravnica-counterpart, Ghost Quarter. Though they get a land back, a basic land is agreeably better than them having Urzatron, Shock/Pain lands (i.e. cards like Hallowed Fountain and Adarkar Wastes), and the like.

Mishra's Factory- Similar to the above, this card was used as an effective beater and way to utilize the last of your mana. Another staple land of the day, this card staying on the board often was the defining factor between a win and a loss. In fact, the loss of this and Strip Mine are what mostly made Sligh lose viability after a while. Furthermore, this deck was used to stop other decks with early rushes without actually losing creatures in the process. As such, it will be replaced with the time-shifted Desert. This card provides a quick early defense without actually losing cards in the process.

Dwarven Ruins- This was used to ramp up early mana in order to quickly play business spells, or save up for a game-ending Fireball. Leaning towards the latter and the ability to utilize more mana, this can be replaced with one of the new storage lands. In this case, we will go with Molten Slagheap. This way if you want to splash Black for something like Rakdos Guildmage or the like, you have that option open. However, with Fungal Reaches, you gain access to powerful Green cards, especially that all-important anti-artifact sideboard card, Ancient Grudge.

Cogs:

Orcish Cannoneers- Because they are almost identical, this will simply be switched with Orcish Artillery. This is what happened in later years anyway.

Ironclaw Orcs- A creature with a drawback you don't care about. For this, we will add in Goblin Brigand. If you weren't swinging with the Orcs anyway, then what good were they? It's not like they can block that much.

Dwarven Trader/Goblins of the Flarg- 1/1s respectively. Both of these can go for Goblin Balloon Brigade. Actually, in later builds this trade-off was what kept the deck ticking. Good thing those goblins found their way back into the fold just in time for our use!

Brass Man- Just switch with Brass Gnat, and presto! Isn't Time Spiral great?

Lightning Bolt- The most ridiculously high-powered burn spell ever printed. If you had one of these pointed at your face, either your opponent is getting desperate or you are about to lose, as this was often followed up by other nasty burn spells, or just more Lightning Bolts. This will be switched for the equally powerful but slower Rift Bolt.

Black Vise- Put in as a one-of to destroy slower decks, there is no true replacement for it. However, there is a card that can accomplish this goal. That card is Magus of the Scroll. At the one-mana drop, he's easy to get out, and his ability can't be countered by the run-of-the-mill counterspells, though there are a few (but seriously, who's going to waste something like a Trickbind on two damage unless they have to). Also, it provides an excellent use of later game mana. Can you say win-win?

Incinerate- Take off the regeneration/RFG clause and put it at sorcery; what do you get? Volcanic Hammer. That easy. It's a staple in Boros Deck Wins and Zoo, so why not give it a go in Sligh? See, I told you I would try to make it viable.

Immolation- A pump-up enchantment. Easily replaced with red's new pump spell, Brute Force. This card can easily be a faux Lightning Bolt if you time it right, so spend it wisely.

Detonate- Built to get around the many artifacts of Antiquities while still dealing damage. Though there are no X-cost artifact removal spells in Standard, there also aren't as many artifacts. As for the damage, I suggest switching it with Balduvian Rage. It's a good finisher, mana sink, and card advantage. Now that's a lot to do in one card!

Fireball- The big finisher of the deck. For this I recommend the new X burn spell of choice, Demonfire. It's flashy, devastating, has cool art, and laughs at the face of the Blue/White Counter decks who believe they have control of the game.

With that, we have finished our overview. Now on to the new deck, clockwork style:

With an ideal draw, this deck can win as soon as turn four. Here's an important tip: don't worry about your opponent’s creatures; just keep pushing until you win or run out of resources.

This deck has a six-turn clock, because though it may be able to win on turn four, this kind of win is highly unlikely and unreliable. The deck is made so that 37% of all spells cost one, another 37% cost two, 16% cost three, 5% cost four, and 5% cost X. Though I'm not sure if this is exact to an extent, this is the model my deck follows.

If you truly wish to use this deck, I would recommend adding in 3 more Brute Forces in place of the one-ofs (outside of Demonfire), Blood Knights in place of the Sparkmage Apprentices, and I'll let you decide if you want to stick with Goblin Balloon Brigade or switch them out for Frenzied Goblin. Whatever you do, play the deck the way you want to play it. There's an extremely real possibility you may find cards or combinations of cards that I overlooked, and that they work great in the deck. Experiment around, and find your own way to play the deck. Just remember to stick to the above formula, and above all, enjoy every moment you spend with your new clock.

With that I conclude today's adventures. Your rooms are in the left wing, and a late supper shall be held in the main dining room in one hour. How have you liked your experience so far? I hope you have or will learn to enjoy it as much as I do. If at any time before or after the tour you wish to give me any questions, comments, or random factoids that have no significance to the average human, feel free to air them, as I relish each of these.

Please enjoy your stay in Clockwork Manor.

Join me in our next tour, as we look at a deck totally opposite of Sligh. Until then, may your strolls down Memory Lane be pleasant and serene.

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Articles Spotlights from 2007:
Lorwyn Theme Week Intro & Schedule of Events
Blink And Bounce: Timing is Key
Going Blind: XCB Metagaming - A Prolonged Conclusion.
The Science of Magic: Genetic Engineering, Part Two.
Shifting Lineaments: Casual Metagaming (Pt. 2).
The Dungeon Of Malefict: Pure Evil!
Combofusion: Legends Timeshifted.
Land Week Introduction & Schedule.
One Card to Rule Them All: Coastal Piracy
Irrational Love: Chimeras. The Lego's of Magic.