Nothing really to comment on here, other than just reiterating that this is just images and transcripts of those images from this book.
Pages 16 and 17
“ASSASSIN”
BASIC DECK LIST
Number Card Mana Cost Rarity
Lands (21)
4 Polluted Mire* – C
1 Spawning Pool** – U
16 Swamp
Creatures (21)
4 Ravenous Rats 1B C
2 Squirting Mass 1B C
1 Bone Shredder** 2B U
2 Looming Shade* 2B C
1 Sanguine Guard* 1BB U
2 Nightshade Seer 3B U
2 Slinking Skirge 3B C
1 Body Snatcher 2RR R
2 Disease Carriers 2BB C
2 Order of Yawgmoth* 2BB U
1 Plague Dogs 4B U
1 Mantis Engine 5 U
Other (18)
2 Dark Ritual* B C
2 Duress* B C
1 Ostracize** B C
2 Sicken* B C
1 Despondency* 1B C
1 Dying Wail 1B C
1 Festering Wound 1B U
2 Scent of Nightshade 1U C
1 Engineered Plague** 2R U
1 Attrition 1BB R
2 Unnerve* 3B C
1 Eradicate 2BB U
1 Soul Feast 3BB U
* From the Urza's Saga expansion
** From the Urza's Legacy expansion
Pages 18 and 19
The Basic Deck
“Assassin” has a simple goal: Kill, kill, kill. With swarms of small black creatures and plenty of ways to eliminate the opposition, this deck is made to hit hard and fast.
The key to winning with “Assassin” is keeping your opponent off balance in the early game The deck is packed with ways to force discards. messing with your opponent’s hand and mind. Duress makes a perfect first-turn play, followed up by Ravenous Rats on the second turn; there are enough of both to offer a good chance of pulling this off.
It’s important to get the smaller creatures out quickly and do some damage early. However, in the middle game you’ll need to keep your hand reasonably full to make the best use of Scent of Nightshade and Nightshade Seer. These two cards can deal considerable damage to any creature, provided you’re holding enough black cards – not a problem with this mono-black deck. Late in the game, more expensive creatures such as Order of Yawgmoth and pumpers like Looming Shade can deliver effective blows.
Efficient spell use is critical to managing this deck. When you force your opponent to discard a card, be sure it’s a true threat. Look at the big picture. For example, a large creature like Ancient Silverback might look impressive, but “Assassin” has many ways to deal with creatures. A graver long-term threat is something like Mother of Runes or Zephid’s Embrace, cards that render opposing armies immune to your creature destruction spells.
A few cards, such as Polluted Mire and Sicken, have cycling to maximise deck efficiency. If you draw these cards early in the game it’s usually worth playing them, but later on you’ll want to cycle them to draw a more useful card.
Play this deck well, and your opponents will beg you for mercy. Don’t show them any.
Pages 20 and 21
ENHANCED DECK LIST
Number Card Mana Cost Set
Lands (22)
4 Polluted Mire – UZ
3 Stalking Stones – TE
1 Volrath's Stronghold – ST
14 Swamp
Creatures (17)
4 Ravenous Rats 1B UD
2 Thrull Surgeon 1B EX
4 Bone Shredder 2B UL
4 Order of Yawgmoth 2BB UZ
1 Nightmare 5B 6E
2 Mobile Fort 4 UZ
Other (21)
4 Dark Ritual B UZ,6E
4 Duress B UZ
2 Vampiric Tutor B 6E
4 Stupor 2B 6E
1 Eradicate 2BB UD
1 Soul Feast 3BB UD
2 Yawgmoth's Bargain 4BB UD
2 Claws of Glx 0 UZ
1 Powder Keg 2 UD
1 Wheel of Torture 3 UL
Sideboard (15)
4 Dread of Night B TE
2 Engineered Plague 2B UL
4 Perish 2B TE
2 Yawgmoth's Bargain 4BB UD
3 Bottle Gnomes 3 TE
Pages 22 and 23
The Enhanced Deck
The enhanced version of “Assassin” works much like the basic deck, disrupting your opponent with discard effects and fast creatures. This version, powered by four Dark Rituals and loaded with weenies, should bring even swifter ruin. As before, concentrate on forcing discards right off the bat. Duress Ravenous Rats – Stupor is a 1-2-3 punch that will leave your opponent down four cards and on the ropes.
The deck benefits greatly from the addition of Yawgmoth’s Bargain. Once you’ve depleted your Initial hand, you can pay life to the Bargain and refill it. Don’t be afraid to draw more cards than your maximum hand size. If you get Claws of Gix in play, you can use it to gain more life, which can in tumi be converted to additional card draws. If the Bargain isn’t such a good deal anymore, you can always use the Claws to get rid of it.
The enhanced version of “Assassin” uses some of the better nonbasic lands from the Rath Cycle expansions, such as Stalking Stones and Volrath’s Stronghold. The Stronghold in particular combines well with Ravenous Rats and Bone Shredder, which destroy creatures when they come into play. Add Claws of Gix, and you can destroy and return these devastating cards again and again all the while gaining life to draw more cards.
The Sideboard
The sideboard shores up the deck against specific threats and tailors it to meet whatever decks are popular in your area.
Dread of Night and Perish work very well against white and green decks, respectively Bottle Gnomes is a good choice against a fast red weenie deck, slowing down the hordes and giving you life as well. Engineered Plague will devastate any weenie deck that relies too heavily on a single creature type. If you’re playing against a slow control or combo deck that takes its time damaging you, add extra copies of Yawgmoth’s Bargain. Be flexible, and remember that speed and card advantage are all-important to your deck’s success.
Pages 24 and 25
“BATTLE SURGE”
BASIC DECK LIST
Number Card Mana Cost Rarity
Lands (23)
9 Island
14 Mountain
Creatures (23)
1 Raven Familiar** 2U U
3 Kingfisher 3U C
2 Thieving Magpie 2UU U
2 Goblin War Buggy* 1R C
3 Viashino Sandscout** 1R C
4 Wild Colos 2R C
2 Goblin Berserker 3R U
2 Keldon Champion 2RR U
2 Viashino Cutthroat** 2RR
1 Thundering Giant* 3RR U
1 Goblin Marshal 4RR R
Other (10)
2 Curfew* U C
2 Fatigue 1U C
1 Mark of Fury R C
1 Parch** 1R C
3 Arc Lightning* 2R C
1 Ghitu War Cry* 2R U
1 Trumpet Blast 2R C
1 AEther Sting 3R U
1 Jagged Lightning 3RR U
1 Urza's Incubator 3 R
* From the Urza's Saga expansion
** From the Urza's Legacy expansion
Pages 26 and 27
The Basic Deck
“Battle Surge” uses fast creatures to get an early jump on your opponent. The basic strategy is simple: Hit hard and fast, and win quickly if possible.
The deck focuses on the Urza cycle’s many red creatures with haste, which are useful in several ways. Their obvious advantage is speed – since they don’t have to wait a turn to attack, they do more damage on average than other creatures with the same power. Many of them also have low casting costs, letting you get that damage in early. Combine the power of haste with the cheapness of echo and you have a potent weapon. Many decks win by one upping you in damage, and an early advantage can make all the difference in that case. Other decks stay on the defensive until they can bring out some clever combination of cards. Your speedy assault will disrupt them by dealing a lot of damage before they can establish defences.
If your opponent manages to hold off your ground attack, take to the air! The blue creatures in “Battle Surge” not only have flying but also provide card advantage through their special abilities. The more cards you pull into your hand, the better you can deal with whatever your opponent brings out.
In a typical game with this deck, you’ll quickly get out a few creatures with haste to beat down your opponent. Stalling cards like Fatigue and Curfew can extend the early game for you. In the middle game, use precision direct damage-strikes/ to take out your opponent’s defences, Although it’s best to go for the quick win, you still have a chance in a long game, using direct damage and creatures with flying for the finishing blows.
With “Battle Surge,” aggressive play and sheer numbers will keep the tide of battle flowing your way.
Pages 28 and 29
ENHANCED DECK LIST
Number Card Mana Cost Set
Lands (23)
2 Smouldering Crater – UZ
2 Remote Isle – UZ
7 Island
12 Mountain
Creatures (23)
3 Thieving Magpie 2UU UD
4 Mogg Fanatic R TE
4 Raging Goblin R EX
3 Goblin War Buggy 1R UZ
3 Keldon Vandals 2R UD
3 Wild Colos 2R UD
3 Keldon Champion 2RR UD
Other (14)
3 Curfew U UZ
1 Whispers of the Muse U TE
3 Catalog 2U UZ
2 Shock R ST
3 Arc Lightning 2R
2 Lightning Blast 3R TE,6E
Sideboard (15)
3 Mana Leak 1U ST
3 Douse 2U UZ
2 Hibernation 2U UZ
3 Disorder 1R UZ
2 Shattering Pulse 1R EX
2 Earthquake XR 6E
Pages 30 to 31
The Enhanced Deck
The enhanced version of “Battle Surge” is similar to the basic deck, but with some key improvements. The greatest change is to the mana curve; the average cost of creatures is far lower. Many of the basic deck’s expensive creatures have been replaced with effective weenies like Raging Goblin and Mogg Fanatic. This lets you to play creatures earlier and get in faster damage, giving your opponent even less time to react. And because you’re playing more creatures, you might simply overwhelm whatever your opponent puts in your way.
The remaining creatures provide some useful support. The Keldon Vandals aren’t just excellent attackers they also trash any artifacts your opponent may use. The only remaining creatures with flying are the Thieving Magpies. Their offence is weak, but their card drawing ability is invaluable With its low mana curve, the enhanced Battle Surge empties your hand rapidly, and the Magpies let you refill it.
The enhanced deck takes full advantage of the available direct-damage spells. Other spells help you draw more cards or filter out any useless ones. Replacing some of the lands with cycling equivalents gives you more flexibility to discard unneeded cards. Everything is keyed to revving up the speed!
The Sideboard
The sideboard mix targets specific cards and strategies that are dangerous to this deck’s approach. Shattering Pulse supplements the Keldon Vandals against decks that use a lot of artifacts. Earthquake makes the end game more effective against another weenie deck (and it’s creature defence if you’re outnumbered). Mana Leak is a nasty surprise for anyone who hasn’t got maha to spare
The remaining sideboard cards hose specific colours, Douse shuts down any other red deck without hurting your own (unlike Chill). Hibernation stops big green creatures, and with Disorder you should easily outrace any white weenie deck around.
Pages 32 to 33
“ENCHANTER”
BASIC DECK LIST
Number Card Mana Cost Rarity
Lands (24)
2 Drifting Meadow* – C
2 Remote Isle* – C
7 Plains
13 Island
Creatures (19)
1 Mother of Runes** W U
1 Monk Realist* 1W C
1 Wall of Glare 1W C
2 Tormented Angel 3W C
3 Fledgling Osprey U C
1 Horseshoe Crab* 2U C
1 Rayne, Academy Chancellor 2U R
3 Metathran Elite 1UU U
2 Thornwind Faeries** 1UU U
2 Thieving Magpie 2UU U
1 Vigilant Drake** 4U C
1 Thran Golem 5 R
Other (17)
1 Archery Training W U
1 Capashen Standard W C
1 Mask of Law and Grace W C
2 Brilliant Halo* 1W C
1 Disenchant* 1W C
1 Humble* 1W U
1 Radiant's Judgment** 2W C
1 Private Research U U
1 Sigil of Sleep U C
1 Hermetic Study* 1U C
2 Miscalculation** 1U C
1 Quash 2UU U
1 Zephid's Embrace* 2UU U
1 Confiscate* 4UU U
1 Opportunity** 4UU U
* From the Urza's Saga expansion
** From the Urza's Legacy expansion
Pages 34 to 35
The Basic Deck
“Enchanter” is a lot more combination-oriented than most control decks. Built around creatures that get more powerful when enchanted, the deck contains a high proportion of enchant creature spells.
A constructed deck doesn’t usually depend on many enchant creature cards because they’re so vulnerable: Destroying the enchanted creature takes out the enchantment as well. To compensate. “Enchanter” relies on very cheap enchantments so you’ll have the mana available to back them up with your limited counter spells. Several, such as Zephid’s Embrace and Mask of Law and Grace, also defend the creature against targeted spells and abilities In fact, Zephid’s Embrace on Metathran Elite is one of the hardest situations for an opponent to deal with.
“Perpetual” enchantments like Brilliant Halo complement the deck well – you can get the enchantment back if the creature is destroyed and play it on another one. Archery Training or Hermetic Study on creatures that can untap themselves, like Horseshoe Crab or Vigilant Drake, lets them attack or deal direct damage and still be available for defence
This deck does best if it gets out fast and gets some damage in early. If the game goes on long you’ll have to rely on Confiscate or Opportunity for enough advantage to deliver the final blow. As with most control decks, though, the key to playing “Enchanter” is to be patient and save the counterspells for serious threats. A couple of early creatures you can live with, but a major threat card like Armageddon can ruin your whole day. Remember, good things come to those who wait.
Pages 36 to 37
ENHANCED DECK LIST
Number Card Mana Cost Set
Lands (24)
2 Drifting Meadow – UZ
3 Adarkar Wastes – 6E
18 Island
1 Plains
Creatures (14)
4 Mother of Runes W UL
1 Ertal. Wizard Adept 2U EX
1 Rayne, Academy Chancellor 2U UD
3 Metathran Elite 1UU UD
3 Tradewind Rider 3U TE
2 Thieving Magpie 2UU UD
Other (22)
3 Brilliant Halo 1W UZ
3 Disenchant 1W UZ,6E
1 Wrath of God 2WW 6E
3 Whispers of the Muse U TE
3 Miscalculation 1U UL
4 Counterspell UU 6E
2 Forbid 1UU EX
2 Zephid's Embrace 2UU UZ
1 Time Spiral 4UU UZ
Sideboard (15)
2 Wasteland – TE
2 Clear 1W UZ
1 Disenchant 1W UZ,6E
1 Oath of Lieges 1W EX
2 Sacred Ground 1W ST
2 Light of Day 3W TE
1 Wrath of God 2WW 6E
2 Chill 1U TE
1 Miscalculation 1U UL
1 Douse 2U UZ
Pages 38 to 39
The Enhanced Deck
The enhanced version of “Enchanter ” gains extra counterspells to deal with the variety of Combination decks in today’s constructed environment. The deck’s creatures are also a lot more defensive – particularly Tradewind Rider with its high toughness, so important to midgame control and defence.
The enhanced deck adds ways to gain midgame card advantage, such as Whispers of the Muse and Thieving Magpie. “Reset” cards Wrath of God and Time Spiral can get you back on track if things start to get out of hand in the later game. The early game doesn’t usually pose a problem, although you could have trouble against very fast white, weenie or red burn decks. If you can set up a moderate early defence with Mother of Runes, you don’t need to hold out too long before you can take control. One of the important combos in the basic deck is Melethran Elite and Zephid’s Embrace and it’s no less effective in the enhanced version most of the time you’ll win with it. A few turns of beatdown with a 4/5 unblockable Her protected by counterspells will send most opponents packing.
As always, play patiently and carefully Proper preparation will ensure that “Enchanter” stays in control.
The Sideboard
The sideboard includes the standard colour hosers that you’d expect in a blue-white control deck, such as Chill and Light of Day. Disenchant and Clear provide additional enchantment destruction to supplement your counterspells, which are necessary precautions in the enchantment-heavy environment that has developed around the Urza cycle. Since “Enchanter” is slightly vulnerable to land destruction, Oath of Lieges and Sacred Ground are available to defend against those deck types.
Pages 40 to 41
“FIENDISH NATURE”
BASIC DECK LIST
Number Card Mana Cost Rarity
Lands (22)
1 Polluted Mire* – C
2 Slippery Karst* – C
13 Forest
6 Swamp
Creatures (23)
1 Phyrexian Monitor 3B C
2 Plague Dogs 4B U
2 Elvish Lyrist* G C
3 Heart Warden 1G C
1 Goliath Beetle 2G C
2 Hunting Moa 2G U
1 Cradle Guard* 1GG U
1 Marker Beetles 1GG C
3 Yavimaya Elder 1GG C
2 Gamekeeper 3G U
3 Plated Spider 4G C
1 Winding Wurm* 4G C
1 Ancient Silverback 4GG R
Other (15)
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
1 Chime of Night 1B C
1 No Rest for the Wicked:* 1B U
2 Twisted Experiment 1B C
2 Expunge* 2B C
1 Victimize* 2B U
1 Diabolic Servitude* 3B U
1 Rancor** G C
2 Symbiosis* 1G C
1 Pattern of Rebirth 3G R
1 Splinter 2GG U
1 Braidwood Cup 3 U
* From the Urza's Saga expansion
** From the Urza's Legacy expansion
Pages 42 to 43
The Basic Deck
Don’t you hate it when you manage to get out a really big creature early, only to lose it to Terror? Then “Fiendish Nature is the deck for you. Wipe that smirk off your opponent’s face by bringing that same creature right back!
Luckily for you, plenty of Urza’s Destiny cards can help a monster deck. First, of course, there are big creatures to pound your opponent with. Nothing’s much better than Ancient Silverback, a 6/5 regenerator for only six mana. Heart Warden is the best kind of fast mana producer when you no longer need the mana pay to sacrifice it and draw another card. Green also gets real protection against nasty creature killers with Gamekeeper and Pattern of Rebirth Smile evilly as you say, “Go ahead, kill my creature – I’ll just get a better one.”
“Fiendish Nature” includes all these benefits. You can pull off some really cool tricks with this deck. Try playing Victimize on a Gamekeeper. Not only do you get to bring back two creatures from your graveyard, but you also replace Gamekeeper with another creature. Can anything beat this kind of card advantage? Besides Heart Warden, there are several creatures you can sacrifice to draw a card for two mana. They’re pretty good by themselves, but put Chime of Night or Pattern of Rebirth on them and they look darn scary. Are those weenie decks annoying you? Plaque Dogs can help. If you can sacrifice Plague Dogs, bring it back, and sacrifice it again on the same turn. That way, it’s even better than Wrath of God: It kills off the weenles and leaves your fatties with no obstacles.
Break out Fiendish Nature and pound your opponent with big creatures that never seem to go away!
Pages 44 to 45
ENHANCED DECK LIST
Number Card Mana Cost Set
Lands (22)
1 Polluted Mire – UZ
2 Slippery Karst – UZ
13 Forest
6 Swamp
Creatures (24)
3 Plague Dogs 4B UD
2 Elvish Lyrist G UZ
4 Llanowar Elves G 6E
4 Wall of Blossoms 1G ST
2 Uktabi Orangutan 2G 6E
1 Cradle Guard 1GG UZ
2 Yavimaya Elder 1GG UD
2 Gamekeeper 3G UD
3 Ancient Silverback 4GG UD
1 Verdant Force 5GGG TR
Other (14)
4 Engineered Plague 2B UL
3 Recurring Nightmare 2B EX
2 Giant Growth G 6E
2 Rancor G UL
1 Symbiosis 1G UZ
2 Pattern of Rebirth 3G UD
Sideboard (15)
4 Dread of Night B TE
1 Terror 1B 6E
2 Eradicate 2BB UD
2 Stronghold Taskmaster 2BB ST
1 Living Death 3BB EX
1 Choke 2G TE
1 Splinter 2GG UD
3 Scragnoth 4G TE
Pages 46 to 47
The Enhanced Deck
The enhanced version of “Fiendish Nature” takes advantage of a few Rath Cycle and Classic cards that make this deck even better. Verdant Force plus Recurring Nightmare is a simple recipe for something your opponent hates to see over and over and over. Walls of Blossoms stop the weenie hordes and give you creatures to sacrifice later to Recurring Nightmare, Add in even more fast mana and you have a deck that never relents
Against the speed weenie decks of a tournament environment, you’ll probably have to keep your small creatures on the defensive for a while, and the deck contains extra creature enhancement to keep them and you alive. But once the big bruisers hit the table, these wimpy little Goblins and Merfolk will run in fear. Against slower control-oriented decks, keep your small creatures on the offensive – your opponent can’t afford to let you get out a big one. Of course, with all your reanimation, sooner or later you will anyway. It won’t take long to erase what little life your opponent has left.
The Sideboard
This kind of deck does have a few weaknesses. Pure blue permission decks actually stand a chance of stopping all your big creatures and might even handle the small ones. Throw a few Scragnoths and a Choke in their direction. Weenie decks might be able to beat you before you can bring out the baddies. Dread of Night shuts down while decks and Stronghold Taskmaster kicks black ones; these combined with Engineered Plague and Plague Dogs should wipe your opponent’s creatures off the face of the planet. Red burn decks can kill most of the creatures you can get out, Punish them by adding in Living Death. Presto, you’re back! Artifact and creature destruction are here too, Should you need them.
But these situations present only slight inconvenience. There isn’t much that can stand up to the grade-A beef of “Flendish Nature”.
The grade-A beef indeed. If there was any doubt of this being produced in the 90s, that cringey phrase should end the debate.
In any case: thanks again to Jay from Ertai’s Lament for the photos. Site is long dormant, but still an amazing resource that definitely is worth diving into.
Beats and Skies 
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