The DOOMSDAY MACHINE deck had the concept of using “scrap metal.” This is any artifact that I can sacrifice, to get another artifact out of my deck or graveyard. Typically, I want to use some token artifact for this, so the deck runs some cards that create treasure tokens, or clue tokens, servos, thopters or just any kind of token just for this purpose. So, anything that puts any artifact on my side of the table is worth taking a look at, especially if it can create multiples with no further investments needed.
This made me take a good look at Dockside Extortionist. Most creatures in my deck are artificers, but it seems I need some kind of acquisitions department as well. This goblin could very well make multiple treasure tokens at once, and give me some mana advantage and some resources for my Goblin Welder. Things get really crazy once I get Mycosynth Lattice online. Moreso when I can use Soul Foundry or Feldon of the Third Path and I can get multiples, and maybe repeat the process using Clock of Omens.
Another goblin that can do some acquisitions is Treasure Nabber. He won’t be as efficient and requires the opponent to use their mana artifacts, but having some extra mana ramp once in a while seems good. With Lattice, he can steal entire mana bases, and feed Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer or better yet, Krark-Clan Ironworks so I’ll never have to give anything back.
Another card I’m eager to add is Emry, Lurker of the Loch. Every piece of artifact recursion is welcome, and Emry also puts some extra cards into the graveyard as a bonus. She also facilitates some combos, even if it means finding card slots for things like Mirran Spy and some free to cast artifacts – preferably Lotus Petal for lots of mana. This might be worth it since Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain is my Commander, and it means free, infinite card draw.
Finally, in the category of things that change things into other things: Witch’s Oven. I might want to get into food tokens, although I don’t know what this will actually add to the deck. Sure, it’s fun to turn the goats I get from Trading Post into pies, but it doesn’t seem like the best use.
Maybe it can stand in for Blasting Station in the Station combo, creating another shortcut for that combo, as it can be sacrificed to Grinding Station, be returned (untapped!) with Salvaging Station, and bake the Pincher token from Summoning Station, creating lots and lots of food. Any other shortcut is great, and it fits the theme of the deck: Goblins building a crazy Rube Goldberg machine, and now death by infinite pies! It still will be an infinite mill combo, but at least it’s somewhat funny. That probably makes it worth a slot, somewhere.
Sidenote: I also have a Depala, Pilot Exemplar deck. I put in a random assortment of Dwarves, but she might have some use for the Seven Dwarfs, that might actually turn into giants at some point.